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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.

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 · mate · mug · vault · patient · band · object · key

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — to rob
  4. object — a thing
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. vault — a safe
  8. key — for a lock
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mug — a face
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. band — a music group
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mug — a cup
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. key — in music

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