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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — steady
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. current — electric
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. current — happening now
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bank — for money
  12. current — of water
  13. bore — to drill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cell — a phone
  20. firm — decided
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bore — gave birth

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