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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 116 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: rock · patient · charge · mug · season · rash · kick · ball

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mug — a face
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rock — music
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — in control
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. kick — in football
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rash — a series
  21. charge — electricity
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mug — a cup
  24. charge — a price

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