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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.

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: stem · patient · firm · calf · mine · charge · chip · leaves

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — a company
  8. chip — to eat
  9. charge — in control
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. charge — electricity

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