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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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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: cap · pit · cabinet · patient · current · fork · perch · mate

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pit — a hole
  8. current — electric
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mate — a friend
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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