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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. rush — hurry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. saw — the tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. current — electric
  14. charge — a price
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — for a hammer

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