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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 116 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: kick · patient · wave · fine · cue · stand · leaves · charge

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. charge — electricity
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. charge — a price
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cue — a signal
  13. kick — in football
  14. cue — for pool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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