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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
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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: hide · foot · charge · patient · current · bass · fan · cap

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cap — a lid
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cap — a hat
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. charge — electricity
  8. foot — a measure
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — a price
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bass — low music
  15. current — of water
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cap — of ice
  20. charge — in control
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. current — happening now
  24. fan — a supporter

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