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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.

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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — certain
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bound — tied together
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — a permit
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — electric
  16. track — a song
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. roll — a cake
  20. current — happening now
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bound — obliged

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