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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: patient · race · face · cap · spell · wound · charge · court

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. court — of law
  3. court — of a king
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wound — an injury
  6. race — a contest
  7. wound — an injury
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. court — for sport
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. face — part of the head
  13. race — humankind
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. face — to point toward
  17. spell — magic
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cap — of ice
  21. spell — letters
  22. face — to confront
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cap — a hat

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