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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's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. current — of water
  6. field — farmland
  7. snap — to click
  8. current — happening now
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. field — for sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — for betting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fine — all right
  16. current — electric
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. chip — to eat
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. perch — the fish

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