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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: date · arm · key · patient · racket · lean · rash · charge

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rash — hasty
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — in control
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. key — in music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rash — a series
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. date — the fruit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. charge — a price
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. key — the most important part

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