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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: current · leaves · bound · degree · key · field · press · pitcher

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. key — for a lock
  3. field — a subject
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — an amount
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. press — to push
  9. key — in music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. current — electric
  14. press — newspapers
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. press — a publisher
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. current — happening now
  19. bound — obliged
  20. current — of water
  21. field — farmland
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitcher — a jug

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