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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: charge · content · trunk · safe · patient · track · sharp · cabinet

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. track — a song
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — the amount
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — in control
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. track — a path
  21. content — happy
  22. track — to keep track
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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