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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. field — farmland
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mug — to rob
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. current — happening now
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — for sport
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. current — electric

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