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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 120 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: band · deal · calf · current · can · scale · root · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. current — happening now
  3. scale — in music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. field — a subject
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — a tin
  11. field — farmland
  12. scale — size or range
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. root — of a plant
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. can — a tin
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — of a word

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