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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a face
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. current — happening now
  7. tear — from crying
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — all right
  11. current — of water
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — to rob
  14. current — electric
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tear — to rip
  17. mug — a cup
  18. patient — a sick person

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