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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. field — farmland
  3. ground — a position
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — to play on
  6. can — a tin
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fine — high quality
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — in golf
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. fine — all right
  17. current — of water
  18. field — a subject
  19. suit — in cards
  20. field — for sport
  21. swing — music
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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