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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: march · charge · spring · patient · temple · pass · saw · cue

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cue — for pool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. saw — the tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spring — the season
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cue — a signal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. march — the month
  15. pass — a permit
  16. spring — of water
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cue — a hint
  20. charge — a price
  21. spring — a coil
  22. charge — in control
  23. march — music
  24. pass — to spend time

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