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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: patient · object · deal · mark · leaves · pop · charge · ground

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. charge — in control
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mark — a grade
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pop — to visit
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — to handle
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pop — soda
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. charge — a price
  18. ground — the earth
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pop — music
  22. ground — a position
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. deal — an agreement

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