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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 116 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — for golf
  5. current — electric
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a friend
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. club — a group
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pound — a weight
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now

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