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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. field — for sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. mark — a trace
  17. current — electric
  18. content — happy
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. field — farmland
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pound — a weight
  24. mouse — the animal

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