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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: net · fork · patient · saw · stem · charge · bank · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — for catching
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. charge — a price
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stem — to come from
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pound — a weight
  21. net — after costs
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. net — in sport
  24. bank — for money

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