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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: toast · fan · patient · stem · last · charge · capital · plane

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. capital — money
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — a tool
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. stem — to come from
  13. capital — a city
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — a price
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. last — to go on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. toast — bread

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