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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a cake
  3. current — happening now
  4. track — a song
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. current — electric
  7. field — for sport
  8. race — humankind
  9. roll — a list
  10. track — a path
  11. mark — a grade
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. current — of water
  14. field — farmland
  15. race — the arms race
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — to keep track
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. field — a subject
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. race — a contest
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — a trace

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