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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: current · ball · content · bulb · wind · pass · patient · pit

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — happening now
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. content — happy
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. content — the amount
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pit — a hole
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wind — moving air
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ball — a great time

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