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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. current — of water
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. field — a subject
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pit — a hole
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stock — shares
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — goods
  18. field — farmland
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. field — for sport

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