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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — to tire
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rule — a law
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — of water
  10. rule — government
  11. cue — a hint
  12. craft — a skill
  13. branch — a division
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. cue — for pool
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — electric
  21. cue — a signal
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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