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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.

Make a worksheet

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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. degree — temperature
  4. current — electric
  5. track — to keep track
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. degree — an amount
  8. field — for sport
  9. perch — the fish
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — a grade
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. track — a song
  16. current — happening now
  17. track — a path
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mark — a trace
  20. degree — from a university
  21. current — of water
  22. field — farmland
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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