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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 · firm · arm · bear · club · saw · fine · field

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. field — farmland
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — a company
  9. current — happening now
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. club — for dancing
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. firm — decided
  15. current — of water
  16. field — for sport
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. field — a subject
  20. club — a group
  21. current — electric
  22. saw — the tool
  23. club — for golf
  24. bear — the animal

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