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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: pass · current · pound · chest · club · patient · board · charge

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. current — happening now
  4. charge — electricity
  5. club — for golf
  6. board — to get on
  7. pound — a weight
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — of your body
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — a permit
  12. chest — a box
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. current — electric
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. current — of water
  21. charge — a price
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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