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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: scale · jam · lean · suit · board · straw · current · patient

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. scale — size or range
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lean — to bend
  15. board — to get on
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lean — thin
  18. suit — to fit
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. scale — in music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. jam — a tight spot

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