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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: bark · pass · charge · chest · wake · key · can · patient

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bark — to shout
  3. charge — a price
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — electricity
  7. can — a tin
  8. chest — a box
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. chest — of your body
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — a permit
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. key — for a lock
  19. charge — in control
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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