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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 116 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: current · land · rest · track · key · patient · rash · mouse

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — electric
  3. rest — what's left
  4. land — ground
  5. key — for a lock
  6. land — a country
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — to come down
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — a song
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — of water
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. track — a path
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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