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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
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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: swing · bulb · bay · rule · field · cap · track · current

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. field — farmland
  6. track — a song
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — happening now
  9. swing — music
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rule — a law
  12. swing — in golf
  13. field — for sport
  14. current — of water
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rule — government
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. current — electric
  19. swing — to play on
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cap — a hat
  22. track — a path
  23. bulb — for light
  24. field — a subject

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