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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: suit · rash · patient · game · bear · board · mine · current

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rash — a series
  3. bear — the animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. current — happening now
  9. board — a committee
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. suit — clothes
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. board — to get on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. game — a match
  19. mine — for digging
  20. current — electric
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. current — of water
  24. suit — to fit

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