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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 · object · bank · mine · arm · charge · sharp · tube

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mine — for digging
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. charge — electricity
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. charge — in control
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. object — an aim
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — a thing
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — of a river
  22. tube — a container
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — to protest

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