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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wake — a trail
  5. current — electric
  6. field — a subject
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. suit — in cards
  11. field — for sport
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. season — of the year
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. suit — to fit
  19. snap — to click
  20. current — happening now
  21. craft — boats
  22. current — of water
  23. craft — a skill
  24. season — in sport

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