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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
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: rock · file · land · patient · leaves · charge · object · mug

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. object — a thing
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a document
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. land — ground
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mug — a face
  15. land — to come down
  16. object — an aim
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. charge — in control
  22. land — a country
  23. file — a tool
  24. object — to protest

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