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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — happening now
  10. staff — employees
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mate — a partner
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mate — a friend
  20. current — electric
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — to go away

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