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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — clever
  5. firm — decided
  6. fork — in a road
  7. swing — music
  8. bass — low music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. firm — a company
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — steady
  15. swing — in golf
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. current — happening now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. nail — on a finger

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