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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wound — an injury
  9. vault — a safe
  10. sharp — clever
  11. hand — in cards
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. fine — high quality
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fine — all right
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. current — of water
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. hand — help
  24. current — electric

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