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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: stick · arm · race · rest · current · patient · bay · can

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — to be able to
  3. current — of water
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. can — a tin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — humankind
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. race — a contest
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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