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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: pop · rock · content · current · drill · jam · net · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. content — happy
  3. pop — music
  4. net — in sport
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. net — for catching
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. current — of water
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. content — the amount
  16. rock — a stone
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rock — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — to visit
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — after costs

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