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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — of water
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. game — wild animals
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a match
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. band — a ring
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pass — a permit
  15. current — happening now
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mark — a grade
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. current — electric
  20. mark — a trace
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. band — a music group
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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