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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 120 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
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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: current · straw · pit · field · ball · mouse · mug · fine

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fine — all right
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. field — farmland
  6. mug — a cup
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. current — electric
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. field — a subject
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — happening now
  21. field — for sport
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. mug — a face
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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