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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. can — a tin
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bulb — for light
  5. field — farmland
  6. bulb — for light
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. current — happening now
  9. branch — a division
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — tied together
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. current — electric
  21. can — a tin
  22. field — for sport
  23. can — to be able to
  24. current — of water

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