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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · pound · current · racket · suit · drill · fall · patient

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — the season
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. current — of water
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. can — to be able to
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — army training
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. suit — to fit
  24. drill — a practice

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