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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · current · drill · staff · field · bowl · bulb · fork

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. staff — employees
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. staff — a stick
  8. current — electric
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fork — in a road
  23. current — happening now
  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