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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. current — happening now
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. field — for sport
  10. current — electric
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bank — for money
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bank — of a river
  16. ground — a position
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — for money
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bass — low music
  23. current — of water
  24. ground — the earth

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