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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. can — to be able to
  3. field — a subject
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — a grade
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — electric
  8. rest — what's left
  9. field — for sport
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rest — what's left
  13. drill — army training
  14. field — farmland
  15. current — happening now
  16. drill — the tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. current — of water
  19. cap — a hat
  20. suit — to fit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rest — a break
  24. can — a tin

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