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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
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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: current · wax · suit · deal · cue · cold · field · patient

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cold — an illness
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — happening now
  9. wax — to grow
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cue — a hint
  13. current — of water
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. field — a subject
  18. cold — not warm
  19. field — farmland
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. field — for sport
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. deal — to handle
  24. suit — to fit

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