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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · wave · race · board · patient · current · tube · temple

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. board — to get on
  3. race — the arms race
  4. board — a committee
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — of water
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. current — happening now
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. current — electric
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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