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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: suit · sharp · staff · saw · mate · nail · patient · current

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — clever
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — of water
  10. mate — a friend
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mate — a partner
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — electric
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mate — to breed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — the tool
  24. staff — employees

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