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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.

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: charge · safe · court · spring · patient · perch · mug · rule

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — to rob
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — for sport
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mug — a face
  9. charge — in control
  10. spring — the season
  11. charge — a price
  12. mug — a cup
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — the fish
  15. court — of a king
  16. spring — of water
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. court — of law
  21. rule — a law
  22. spring — a coil
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — government

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