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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. present — there
  6. current — electric
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — the time now
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — happening now
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. toast — bread
  15. current — of water
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. row — a line
  21. present — a gift
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. date — 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