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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · suit · can · scale · field · spring · fine · current

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mate — a friend
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — a partner
  7. current — happening now
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — the season
  10. current — electric
  11. field — for sport
  12. fine — high quality
  13. suit — clothes
  14. scale — size or range
  15. field — farmland
  16. current — of water
  17. can — a tin
  18. spring — a coil
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — in cards
  21. scale — in music
  22. field — a subject
  23. fine — all right
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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