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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. current — electric
  3. net — for catching
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — the tool
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. vault — a safe
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — completely
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. net — after costs
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. drill — army training
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. net — in sport
  24. drill — a practice

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