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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: row · current · suit · patient · bass · dip · cue · mate

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. mate — a partner
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bass — the fish
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mate — a friend
  9. current — electric
  10. dip — to sink
  11. row — to paddle
  12. suit — to fit
  13. row — a line
  14. bass — low music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — clothes
  19. current — happening now
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — in cards
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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