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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 120 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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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: wake · charge · foot · temple · capital · wind · mark · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. wake — a trail
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wind — moving air
  12. capital — a city
  13. foot — a measure
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wind — moving air
  20. charge — electricity
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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