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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: deal · patient · current · shower · leaves · trunk · rest · pitcher

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. shower — rain
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. current — of water
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rest — what's left
  12. shower — to wash
  13. current — electric
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rest — what's left
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rest — a break
  21. deal — to handle
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitcher — a jug

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