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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: club · bound · ground · charge · patient · staff · bowl · perch

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — obliged
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ground — the earth
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — in control
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bound — certain
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bound — tied together

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