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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. current — of water
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — electric
  10. content — happy
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. content — the amount
  13. current — happening now
  14. stock — goods
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stock — shares
  17. track — a path
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. field — farmland
  22. mate — a friend
  23. field — a subject
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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