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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: stick · sharp · snap · key · bore · suit · current · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. sharp — clever
  7. key — for a lock
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bore — to tire
  11. current — of water
  12. snap — to click
  13. key — in music
  14. current — happening now
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. suit — to fit
  20. current — electric
  21. suit — in cards
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bore — to drill

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