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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. field — farmland
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. field — for sport
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. field — a subject
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. snap — to click
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — in cards

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