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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. present — the time now
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. current — of water
  16. lean — thin
  17. current — electric
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. present — there
  24. lean — to bend

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