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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 120 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: mug · suit · rock · charge · chest · patient · prune · bear

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. rock — a stone
  4. chest — a box
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — of your body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — a price
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — a face
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mug — to rob
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mug — a cup
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. prune — to trim
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bear — the animal

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