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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 120 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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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: patient · foot · current · tear · kick · rest · nail · row

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tear — to rip
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. foot — a measure
  10. current — electric
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — happening now
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. kick — in football
  15. row — to paddle
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. row — a line
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. current — of water
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. tear — from crying
  23. row — a quarrel
  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