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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. current — electric
  3. land — to come down
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. hand — in cards
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. land — a country
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — hurry
  17. suit — clothes
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mate — a partner
  20. current — of water
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. suit — in cards
  24. land — ground

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