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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: wound · wind · key · patient · stick · foot · present · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — an injury
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. current — of water
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wind — moving air
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. foot — a measure
  19. present — the time now
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — there
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. current — electric
  24. present — a gift

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