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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. kick — in football
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bank — for money
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. chair — a leader
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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