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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: pitcher · wake · patient · charge · track · club · suit · lean

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. track — a path
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lean — thin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a song
  24. lean — to bend

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