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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: field · date · rush · rock · ruler · mouse · ball · current

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. field — for sport
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — electric
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — happening now
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. field — farmland
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. field — a subject
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rock — music

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