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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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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: firm · dip · current · patient · object · pass · last · key

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. pass — a permit
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. current — of water
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. key — the most important part
  11. current — happening now
  12. dip — to sink
  13. last — finally
  14. current — electric
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. key — in music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — steady
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. object — to protest
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. key — for a lock
  24. firm — decided

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