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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: charge · present · current · patient · stand · game · bay · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. current — electric
  4. present — a gift
  5. game — wild animals
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a match
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. present — there
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stand — to bear
  19. present — the time now
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. charge — a price
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — happening now

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