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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: fan · charge · pitcher · patient · pass · firm · file · bank

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. firm — a company
  3. bank — for money
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. file — a document
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. file — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. file — a line of people
  16. firm — decided
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bank — for money
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. charge — a price
  24. pass — a permit

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