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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pound — a weight
  3. field — farmland
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. field — for sport
  10. current — of water
  11. press — to push
  12. ball — a great time
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. field — a subject
  18. wave — with your hand

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