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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. current — electric
  4. firm — decided
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. firm — steady
  8. field — a subject
  9. track — a song
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — all right
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — to keep track
  18. present — the time now
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fine — high quality
  21. field — farmland
  22. track — a path
  23. field — for sport
  24. current — happening now

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