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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. field — for sport
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. race — a contest
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. current — happening now
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. race — humankind
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — of the year
  18. field — a subject
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. field — farmland
  21. season — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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