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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 120 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: stem · saw · track · ball · patient · drill · charge · board

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. track — to keep track
  4. drill — army training
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ball — a dance
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ball — a great time
  12. drill — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. saw — the tool
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. board — a committee

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