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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: charge · degree · arm · last · racket · current · patient · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. last — to go on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. degree — from a university
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. current — happening now
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. current — of water
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — for light
  15. last — finally
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — in control
  18. bulb — for light
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — an amount
  22. last — final
  23. current — electric
  24. charge — a price

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