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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.

Make a worksheet

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: shower · stick · patient · bore · plane · charge · bear · mug

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bore — to drill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — a tool
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. shower — to wash
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mug — a face
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. charge — a price
  21. bore — to tire
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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