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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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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: straw · current · racket · bass · wind · patient · firm · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bass — low music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — steady
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — happening now
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wind — moving air
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. firm — a company
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. firm — decided
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — the fish
  24. racket — for tennis

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