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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. current — electric
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. firm — a company
  6. field — a subject
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cue — a signal
  12. current — happening now
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — of water
  15. bass — the fish
  16. field — for sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. firm — decided
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. mark — a trace
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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