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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. swing — in golf
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mate — to breed
  6. current — of water
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cap — a lid
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cap — a hat
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — happening now
  15. swing — music
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. current — electric
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. swing — to play on

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