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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bat — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. charge — in control
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — high quality
  17. charge — electricity
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — a price
  21. chair — a leader
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. current — of water

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