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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
468
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: patient · bear · charge · stick · spell · game · coach · plane

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. game — a match
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — a tool
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — in control
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. game — wild animals
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. patient — a sick person

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