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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rash — a series
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. rash — hasty
  15. current — of water
  16. fine — high quality
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. root — the cause
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. current — happening now
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fine — all right

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