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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: kick · plane · court · patient · charge · march · firm · wave

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. firm — decided
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. court — of law
  9. march — music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. firm — a company
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. kick — in football
  17. charge — in control
  18. court — of a king
  19. charge — a price
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. charge — electricity
  22. court — for sport
  23. firm — steady
  24. kick — a thrill

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