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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. object — a thing
  3. field — for sport
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. can — to be able to
  6. object — to protest
  7. can — a tin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. drill — the tool
  10. current — electric
  11. charge — electricity
  12. field — a subject
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. drill — army training
  15. current — of water
  16. charge — a price
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. drill — a practice
  20. charge — in control
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. current — happening now
  23. field — farmland
  24. object — an aim

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