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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — electric
  3. row — to paddle
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — of water
  7. fall — the season
  8. board — to get on
  9. file — a document
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — to drop
  12. row — a line
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — electricity
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — clever
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — a committee
  20. current — happening now
  21. file — a line of people
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. sharp — exactly

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