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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — a hole
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bulb — for light
  19. current — electric
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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