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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 116 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. kick — in football
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. field — farmland
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. object — to protest
  11. field — for sport
  12. march — the month
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. march — music
  15. object — a thing
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. march — the month
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. field — a subject

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