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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.

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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: mate · patient · wound · charge · dip · deal · suit · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mate — a friend
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wound — an injury
  7. charge — a price
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mate — to breed
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. suit — to fit
  20. dip — to sink
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — a sauce

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