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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — happening now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — boats
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. current — electric
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wind — moving air
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. ball — a great time
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. current — of water
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — an eyelash

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