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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: bark · spring · patient · rest · current · spell · dip · firm

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. firm — decided
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. current — of water
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — electric
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. spring — of water
  12. spell — magic
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rest — what's left
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. firm — a company
  17. spell — a short time
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — happening now
  20. bark — to shout
  21. spring — the season
  22. rest — a break
  23. dip — to sink
  24. spell — letters

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