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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: charge · saw · present · patient · track · chair · chip · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. charge — in control
  4. chip — for betting
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. track — to keep track
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. present — there
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. charge — a price
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. track — a song
  18. chair — a leader
  19. present — a gift
  20. track — a path
  21. present — the time now
  22. chip — to eat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. patient — a sick person

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