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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 116 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — happening now
  4. file — a line of people
  5. mug — a cup
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mug — to rob
  10. current — of water
  11. can — to be able to
  12. court — for sport
  13. staff — a stick
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — of law
  16. can — a tin
  17. file — a tool
  18. court — of a king
  19. staff — employees
  20. perch — the fish
  21. staff — employees
  22. mug — a face
  23. file — a document
  24. perch — for a bird

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