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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: rest · wake · dip · date · cue · patient · file · charge

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. file — a line of people
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. charge — in control
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. dip — to sink
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cue — for pool
  11. charge — a price
  12. file — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wake — a trail
  20. file — a document
  21. rest — a break
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. charge — electricity
  24. patient — a sick person

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