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

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lean — thin
  3. current — of water
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mark — a grade
  7. field — farmland
  8. lean — to bend
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. field — for sport
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mark — a trace
  15. net — in sport
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — happening now
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. net — after costs
  20. field — a subject
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rock — music

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