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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fine — all right
  5. spring — of water
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. current — of water
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — high quality
  13. current — happening now
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — electric
  18. rash — hasty
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rash — a series
  22. spring — the season
  23. ball — a round shape
  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