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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: rock · foot · lean · suit · field · ball · stand · current

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rock — a stone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — farmland
  13. rock — music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ball — a dance
  17. current — of water
  18. lean — thin
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ball — a round shape

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