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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. current — electric
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. swing — to play on
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. current — of water
  22. swing — music
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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