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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: mark · sharp · charge · patient · foot · squash · march · court

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. march — the month
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. march — the month
  7. squash — to crush
  8. march — music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. court — of a king
  12. foot — a measure
  13. court — for sport
  14. squash — the sport
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. sharp — clever
  21. court — of law
  22. mark — a trace
  23. charge — electricity
  24. foot — part of the body

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