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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: patient · drill · trunk · chip · mate · bound · band · current

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — tied together
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. drill — a practice
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. band — a music group
  9. drill — the tool
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. current — happening now
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. current — of water
  14. band — a ring
  15. drill — army training
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bound — certain
  21. current — electric
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bound — obliged

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