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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: foot · current · ball · stand · net · patient · swing · spell

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. current — of water
  3. net — in sport
  4. spell — letters
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. swing — in golf
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. net — for catching
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. net — after costs
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ball — a great time
  19. spell — magic
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. current — happening now
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. current — electric

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