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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. current — happening now
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stock — shares
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — in control
  8. foot — a measure
  9. current — of water
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. swing — music
  14. current — electric
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. charge — a price
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — a tool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — a soup base

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