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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — steady
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — electric
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. rest — a break
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — happening now
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — decided
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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