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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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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: rest · charge · mouse · stem · swing · ruler · stick · patient

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — in control
  10. swing — music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — a break
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rest — what's left

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