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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. current — of water
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — humankind
  12. current — happening now
  13. race — the arms race
  14. present — the time now
  15. current — electric
  16. race — a contest
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mouse — the animal

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