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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: pop · suit · current · court · wax · date · rest · patient

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — a break
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. pop — soda
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — to fit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. court — of a king
  24. pop — 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