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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: patient · lean · mate · content · wax · charge · firm · rule

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mate — a friend
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mate — to breed
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wax — to grow
  15. firm — steady
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. charge — a price
  19. content — the amount
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. content — happy

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