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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. field — a subject
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pit — a hole
  5. current — electric
  6. ball — a dance
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — of water
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mate — to breed
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. current — happening now

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