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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: current · field · hide · safe · foot · rock · pitcher · mine

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. field — a subject
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mine — for digging
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. rock — a stone
  11. current — electric
  12. rock — music
  13. field — for sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. foot — a measure
  16. field — farmland
  17. current — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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