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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: patient · suit · court · march · chip · charge · deal · bulb

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. court — of law
  3. court — for sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — to eat
  6. march — music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — a price
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. court — of a king
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. march — the month
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. chip — for betting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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