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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — a hole
  4. current — happening now
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. current — electric
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pound — a weight
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cap — of ice
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — of water
  18. tube — a container
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. patient — a sick person

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