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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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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: rash · rest · pit · bat · patient · foot · mouse · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — hasty
  18. current — happening now
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — a series
  21. current — of water
  22. rest — a break
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mouse — the animal

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