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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 · field · dip · perch · ball · safe · degree · deal

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. field — for sport
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ball — a great time
  11. deal — to handle
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. degree — an amount
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a dance
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. degree — temperature
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. degree — from a university
  22. field — a subject
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — a strongbox

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