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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: net · perch · chip · charge · ball · stick · patient · branch

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. net — after costs
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chip — for betting
  7. net — in sport
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — for catching
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. charge — in control
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. branch — a division
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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