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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 124 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pit — in a race
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — to play on
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. swing — in golf
  12. staff — employees
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. staff — employees
  16. current — of water
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. current — happening now
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pit — a hole
  21. swing — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — a stick

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