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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · shower · charge · bank · game · bowl · patient · nail

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. charge — electricity
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bank — of a river
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — for money
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. shower — rain
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. charge — in control
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com