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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: band · charge · present · patient · ruler · mine · last · rash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. present — a gift
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. last — final
  6. last — finally
  7. present — the time now
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. last — to go on
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. band — a ring
  15. rash — a series
  16. charge — in control
  17. band — a music group
  18. present — there
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. patient — a sick person

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