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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 · track · charge · foot · jam · mark · rush · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. charge — electricity
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. track — a song
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rush — hurry
  16. track — a path
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. charge — in control
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. track — to keep track
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. game — a match

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