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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: bound · jam · wave · prune · current · race · patient · kick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bound — obliged
  6. prune — to trim
  7. current — of water
  8. kick — in football
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bound — tied together
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bound — certain
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. race — a contest
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. current — electric
  21. prune — to trim
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — happening now
  24. wave — of the sea

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