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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 120 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: degree · charge · patient · net · suit · face · bank · wave

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. suit — clothes
  3. charge — electricity
  4. degree — from a university
  5. face — part of the head
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bank — for money
  9. charge — in control
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. net — in sport
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. net — after costs
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — of a river
  21. charge — a price
  22. degree — temperature
  23. suit — to fit
  24. degree — an amount

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