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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: pass · arm · current · fall · patient · suit · wound · kid

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — clothes
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — of water
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kid — child
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. kid — to tease
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wound — an injury

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