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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: fan · current · stick · wax · present · mark · bat · patient

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wax — to grow
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bat — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. present — there
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. present — the time now
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — a supporter

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