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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. current — electric
  3. field — for sport
  4. current — happening now
  5. field — a subject
  6. staff — employees
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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