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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. present — there
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — the fish
  10. current — of water
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mate — a partner
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — a gift

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