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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. prune — to trim
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. bound — certain
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bound — tied together
  22. current — electric
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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