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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.

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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: season · branch · nail · charge · patient · suit · game · rule

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. season — of the year
  3. suit — to fit
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rule — government
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. season — in sport
  11. charge — electricity
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — a division
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — a law
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rule — to rule out

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