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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. current — of water
  3. date — the fruit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. court — for sport
  16. current — happening now
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — of law
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — a thing

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