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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cue — a signal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. field — for sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cue — a hint
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — to fit
  13. field — a subject
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. field — farmland
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. current — happening now
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. branch — a division

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