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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — electric
  3. rest — what's left
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. rash — hasty
  8. race — the arms race
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. race — a contest
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — music
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — a break
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rash — a series
  23. ground — crushed
  24. race — humankind

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