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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. date — the fruit
  4. net — in sport
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — a stone
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. net — for catching
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rock — music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wax — to grow
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. net — after costs
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — to move gently

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