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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 · bulb · rest · current · mug · racket · ground · rash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. current — happening now
  5. rash — a series
  6. ground — a position
  7. mug — a face
  8. field — farmland
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. field — a subject
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — for sport
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. current — of water
  17. mug — a cup
  18. current — electric
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rest — a break
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. racket — for tennis

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