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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: firm · patient · ground · current · mug · toast · last · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. last — final
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. current — happening now
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. firm — a company
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. current — electric
  20. toast — bread
  21. ground — a position
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — of water
  24. patient — a sick person

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