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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: cold · lean · current · suit · patient · cue · object · scale

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cold — an illness
  4. lean — to bend
  5. scale — in music
  6. current — electric
  7. cue — a signal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. object — an aim
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. current — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. object — to protest
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lean — thin
  19. cold — not warm
  20. current — happening now
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — in cards

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