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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rest — a break
  5. current — happening now
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — what's left
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for golf
  10. march — music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lean — thin
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. club — for dancing
  18. current — electric
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. current — of water
  22. march — the month
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pitch — a sports field

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