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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: can · chair · band · mouse · leaves · pound · patient · current

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. band — a ring
  3. can — a tin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — a leader
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. can — to be able to
  21. band — a music group
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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