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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · mouse · object · hide · bark · current · mine · patient

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. tube — a container
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bark — to shout
  18. tube — the underground
  19. current — of water
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. object — to protest
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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