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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: drill · pit · ball · mate · lash · current · patient · key

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mate — a friend
  7. key — for a lock
  8. current — of water
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. key — in music
  11. current — electric
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a great time
  14. key — the most important part
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mate — to breed
  20. drill — army training
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. current — happening now

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