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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rule — government
  6. bank — for money
  7. current — electric
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — of a river
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rule — a law
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. current — of water
  23. stem — to come from
  24. patient — a sick person

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