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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.

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: file · leaves · degree · current · tube · season · pit · patient

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pit — a hole
  4. current — electric
  5. file — a line of people
  6. current — of water
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. pit — in a race
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. degree — from a university
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. degree — an amount
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. degree — temperature
  23. current — happening now
  24. tube — the underground

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