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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: jam · suit · patient · cold · staff · firm · charge · bulb

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. cold — not warm
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — employees
  7. charge — in control
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cold — an illness
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bulb — for light
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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