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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. current — happening now
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — music
  11. current — electric
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rest — a break
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. mate — a friend
  19. current — of water
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ruler — for measuring

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