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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.

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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 · suit · perch · rush · pit · capital · field · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — a hole
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — in a race
  5. suit — to fit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — in control
  9. capital — a city
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. charge — electricity
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. field — a subject
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. capital — money
  18. field — farmland
  19. suit — in cards
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. field — for sport
  23. rush — hurry
  24. capital — a big letter

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