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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: fan · kick · mate · charge · wax · row · patient · mark

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mate — to breed
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. kick — in football
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — a trace
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. charge — a price
  24. mark — a grade

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