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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: current · wind · patient · net · coach · safe · shower · arm

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. net — for catching
  3. shower — to wash
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. net — after costs
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. wind — moving air
  9. current — of water
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — in sport
  20. wind — moving air
  21. shower — rain
  22. current — electric
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — out of danger

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