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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. land — a country
  4. current — happening now
  5. board — to get on
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. tube — a container
  8. pit — in a race
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. race — the arms race
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — of water
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. board — a committee
  17. land — to come down
  18. race — humankind
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pit — a hole
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. land — ground
  23. race — a contest
  24. tube — the underground

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