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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 120 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: object · fork · sharp · temple · staff · rule · patient · current

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. staff — a stick
  3. current — electric
  4. staff — employees
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rule — government
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. object — to protest
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. staff — employees
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. current — of water
  20. object — an aim
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. current — happening now
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rule — a law

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