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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ground — a position
  4. present — a gift
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. present — there
  12. club — for golf
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. current — of water
  17. club — for dancing
  18. present — the time now
  19. ground — the earth
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. current — happening now
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mouse — the animal

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