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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pass — a permit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — to get on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. current — electric
  13. board — a committee
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. squash — the sport

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