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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: stick · march · patient · charge · bulb · fine · saw · rock

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. charge — a price
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — in control
  6. rock — a stone
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. march — music
  10. fine — all right
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — high quality
  20. saw — the tool
  21. march — the month
  22. rock — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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