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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 116 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: swing · charge · firm · bound · patient · lean · chair · branch

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bound — certain
  3. lean — to bend
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. swing — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. branch — a division
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bound — tied together
  12. lean — thin
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. swing — in golf
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chair — a leader
  22. firm — decided
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. patient — a sick person

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