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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 124 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pit — in a race
  15. can — a tin
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. field — for sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pop — music
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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