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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 116 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: snap · pitch · rush · bulb · current · patient · clip · hide

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. clip — to cut
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. current — electric
  6. clip — for paper
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. snap — to click
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rush — hurry
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pitch — completely
  17. clip — a video
  18. current — happening now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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