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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: deal · scale · hand · charge · suit · patient · cue · degree

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. degree — temperature
  7. charge — a price
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cue — a hint
  12. scale — in music
  13. hand — help
  14. cue — a signal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — for pool
  19. degree — an amount
  20. suit — in cards
  21. degree — from a university
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — in control

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