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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. current — electric
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rash — a series
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. degree — temperature
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — to play on
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. degree — from a university
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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