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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: mate · patient · stem · charge · sharp · pop · rest · stick

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mate — a partner
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pop — soda
  19. mate — to breed
  20. charge — electricity
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pop — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stem — a stem cell

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