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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 124 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. current — electric
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lean — thin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — in sport
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fork — in a road
  14. net — after costs
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. net — for catching
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — happening now
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — of water
  24. fan — a supporter

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