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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: patient · suit · mate · charge · pop · current · court · wake

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. court — for sport
  3. mate — a friend
  4. charge — a price
  5. pop — soda
  6. current — happening now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — of water
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — to visit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. current — electric
  16. suit — clothes
  17. court — of a king
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — music
  20. court — of law
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a partner
  24. charge — in control

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