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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: bass · fine · present · field · ball · current · stem · deal

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. field — farmland
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. field — for sport
  7. stem — to come from
  8. present — there
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bass — low music
  12. current — electric
  13. present — a gift
  14. current — of water
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fine — all right
  18. ball — a dance
  19. field — a subject
  20. ball — a great time
  21. current — happening now
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. present — the time now

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