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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: swing · lash · rock · spring · bay · arm · current · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — electric
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rock — a stone
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — happening now
  14. spring — of water
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. swing — music
  18. rock — music
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spring — the season
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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