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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: saw · kick · swing · charge · patient · capital · tube · wake

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. charge — a price
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. swing — to play on
  9. capital — money
  10. swing — music
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kick — in football
  17. tube — a container
  18. capital — a city
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wake — a trail
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — in golf

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