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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 116 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: suit · patient · charge · hide · wound · fall · wave · degree

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. degree — an amount
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — a price
  16. degree — from a university
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. suit — in cards
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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