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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: racket · sharp · drill · can · dip · current · field · suit

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. current — electric
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — of water
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. drill — army training
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. can — to be able to
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. can — a tin
  16. current — happening now
  17. field — for sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. can — a tin
  20. field — a subject
  21. dip — to sink
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. suit — clothes
  24. field — farmland

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