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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ball — a great time
  9. field — for sport
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. pop — soda
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. current — of water
  18. pop — music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. field — farmland
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — of the sea

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