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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — hurry
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. current — electric
  9. rock — music
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — thin
  16. rock — a stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. key — the most important part
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — in music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — for a lock

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