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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. field — a subject
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — a gift
  6. degree — temperature
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stem — to come from
  13. degree — from a university
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. field — farmland
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wake — a trail
  23. present — the time now
  24. wake — before a funeral

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