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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: snap · ball · current · stock · sharp · chest · patient · stick

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ball — a dance
  7. current — happening now
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chest — a box
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chest — of your body
  18. current — of water
  19. snap — to click
  20. stock — shares
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. sharp — exactly

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