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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 120 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: sharp · stand · temple · patient · charge · clip · mug · current

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mug — to rob
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. clip — to cut
  5. sharp — clever
  6. charge — in control
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. charge — a price
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. current — of water
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. clip — for paper
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — electric
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — happening now
  23. mug — a cup
  24. charge — electricity

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