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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 120 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 · calf · club · patient · rash · game · pass

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. game — wild animals
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — a group
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — of water
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pass — a permit
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — a series
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. club — for dancing
  16. game — a match
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. current — happening now
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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