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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.

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: racket · capital · charge · stock · bay · chair · patient · fan

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chair — a leader
  8. capital — a city
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stock — shares
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. charge — in control
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — goods
  19. capital — money
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. charge — a price
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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