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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · perch · coach · band · rush · patient · key · pound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — the fish
  6. band — a ring
  7. charge — a price
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — in control
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. key — for a lock
  18. charge — electricity
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pound — for dogs

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