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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — a group
  5. season — of the year
  6. current — happening now
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — a gift
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — electric
  14. present — there
  15. current — of water
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. present — the time now
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stock — goods
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stock — shares
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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