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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. season — in sport
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. march — the month
  10. season — of the year
  11. march — music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. field — for sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. field — a subject
  17. march — the month
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. field — farmland
  22. current — electric
  23. tube — a container
  24. current — happening now

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