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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: toast · charge · current · object · patient · degree · season · plane

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. degree — temperature
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — electricity
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. degree — an amount
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. current — happening now
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — a tool
  17. toast — bread
  18. object — to protest
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. season — in sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. charge — a price
  23. degree — from a university
  24. season — of the year

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