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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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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: charge · patient · bulb · bay · chair · swing · cue · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. swing — music
  6. charge — a price
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. swing — in golf
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. chair — a leader
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. charge — in control
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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