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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. current — happening now
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. field — for sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. prune — to trim
  10. field — a subject
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lean — thin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — high quality

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