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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bear — the animal
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. club — for golf
  11. snap — to click
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. current — of water
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. current — electric
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bear — the animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. club — a group

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