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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stock — shares
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. current — of water
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — to fit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. current — happening now
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — a subject
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stock — goods
  22. current — electric
  23. suit — clothes
  24. field — for 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