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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: bore · tube · patient · firm · branch · charge · wave · stand

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. charge — a price
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. firm — a company
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — steady
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bore — to drill
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — decided
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. branch — a division
  21. charge — in control
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. patient — a sick person

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