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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — electric
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wake — a trail
  8. charge — a price
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. current — happening now
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. current — of water
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. spell — magic
  19. charge — electricity
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — in control

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