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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pit — a hole
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. current — electric
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pit — in a race
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fine — all right
  22. rush — hurry
  23. current — of water
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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