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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: charge · bank · swing · racket · bat · patient · saw · lash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — for money
  4. swing — in golf
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. charge — in control
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bank — of a river
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bank — for money
  22. charge — a price
  23. saw — the tool
  24. racket — for tennis

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