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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. current — happening now
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — of water
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. wave — with your hand

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