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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 116 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
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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 · can · key · stick · ball · cold · firm · patient

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ball — a dance
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — in control
  7. firm — steady
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cold — an illness
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — the most important part
  16. firm — decided
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cold — not warm
  23. charge — a price
  24. can — a tin

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