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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 120 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: rush · spell · board · chair · patient · charge · hand · cap

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. cap — a lid
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. spell — magic
  5. board — a committee
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cap — of ice
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. charge — in control
  11. board — to get on
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spell — letters
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rush — hurry
  17. spell — a short time
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cap — a hat
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — a price
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rush — a thrill

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