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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.

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: fine · cap · date · patient · pit · current · calf · chest

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chest — a box
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cap — a hat
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. current — of water
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chest — of your body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. current — happening now
  18. cap — a lid
  19. date — the fruit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fine — high quality
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fine — all right
  24. patient — a sick person

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