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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: current · mark · wind · toast · pit · swing · patient · rush

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. current — of water
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. swing — to play on
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. current — electric
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pit — in a race
  10. swing — music
  11. current — happening now
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mark — a trace
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — hurry

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