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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: bore · bulb · current · object · saw · rock · patient · present

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. saw — the tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. current — happening now
  7. object — to protest
  8. current — electric
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — there
  11. object — a thing
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. present — a gift
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — the time now
  18. bore — to drill
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. current — of water
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rock — music

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