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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rest — a break
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — what's left
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. current — of water
  15. present — the time now
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. present — a gift
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. current — electric
  24. deal — to handle

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