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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.

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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: wake · temple · saw · current · patient · charge · rest · suit

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rest — what's left
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — electric
  7. wake — a trail
  8. current — happening now
  9. charge — electricity
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. current — of water
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rest — a break
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — a price

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