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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tear — from crying
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. craft — a skill
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bound — tied together
  11. craft — boats
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. tear — to rip
  16. fine — high quality
  17. current — happening now
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. tear — from crying
  22. current — electric
  23. court — of a king
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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