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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
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: patient · stick · current · capital · nail · stem · jam · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. capital — money
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. charge — a price
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — electricity
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. capital — a city
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — in control
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. nail — for a hammer

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