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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · wound · leaves · drill · patient · charge · nail · kick

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. charge — a price
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. charge — in control
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. charge — electricity
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. wound — an injury

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