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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 · land · swing · charge · spell · plane · wound · patient

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. land — a country
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. land — ground
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. charge — a price
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. land — to come down
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. charge — electricity
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. charge — in control
  24. spell — letters

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