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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pit — in a race
  4. current — electric
  5. spring — the season
  6. field — for sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — happening now
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. board — to get on
  16. spring — of water
  17. mark — a trace
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. current — of water
  21. field — farmland
  22. board — a committee
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — a strongbox

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