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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: current · rule · patient · cabinet · mine · firm · rush · craft

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. firm — a company
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — of water
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. current — electric
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. firm — decided
  23. craft — boats
  24. rush — hurry

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