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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: capital · bore · board · stand · wake · charge · roll · patient

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — electricity
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. capital — money
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. roll — a list
  12. charge — a price
  13. board — to get on
  14. charge — in control
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stand — to bear
  24. board — a committee

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