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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. field — a subject
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. charge — in control
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — a price
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rush — hurry
  11. field — for sport
  12. mate — a partner
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. current — happening now
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. lie — to recline
  22. current — electric
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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