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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. current — happening now
  4. drill — a practice
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. drill — the tool
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — a friend
  9. dip — to sink
  10. prune — to trim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — electric
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. season — in sport
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mate — a partner
  19. drill — army training
  20. mate — to breed
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. season — of the year
  24. prune — to trim

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