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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 · racket · content · bass · wind · patient · lean · bulb

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the fish
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. bass — low music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wind — moving air
  15. charge — in control
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wind — moving air
  19. charge — a price
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — for light
  24. content — the amount

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