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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: perch · sharp · charge · object · cabinet · patient · swing · capital

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. swing — to play on
  4. object — a thing
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. capital — money
  9. charge — electricity
  10. swing — in golf
  11. capital — a city
  12. sharp — clever
  13. object — to protest
  14. swing — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. object — an aim
  24. sharp — exactly

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