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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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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: suit · safe · bat · field · ball · current · fan · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. field — for sport
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. current — of water
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a great time
  20. current — happening now
  21. field — farmland
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. field — a subject

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