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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: staff · toast · patient · current · rush · rock · perch · tube

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — electric
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rush — hurry
  9. current — of water
  10. staff — employees
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — a stone
  14. current — happening now
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. toast — bread
  23. rock — music
  24. rush — a thrill

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