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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
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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: patient · saw · net · object · stick · charge · pit · suit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. suit — in cards
  3. charge — in control
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — clothes
  7. object — a thing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. object — to protest
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. net — after costs
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a hole
  20. charge — a price
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — an aim
  23. charge — electricity
  24. saw — the tool

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