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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ground — a position
  3. swing — music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. current — of water
  6. ground — the earth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ground — crushed
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. current — electric
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. current — happening now
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. capital — a city
  22. stem — to come from
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. capital — money

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