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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. present — the time now
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — there
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. current — of water
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. current — happening now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. craft — boats
  20. wake — a trail
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. patient — a sick person
  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