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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: chip · mate · swing · trunk · bay · racket · current · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. field — a subject
  6. chip — for betting
  7. current — electric
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mate — to breed
  11. swing — music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — happening now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. current — of water
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. field — for sport
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chip — to eat
  23. swing — to play on
  24. trunk — of a car

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