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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: field · race · roll · bowl · calf · deal · safe · current

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. field — for sport
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — farmland
  10. roll — a list
  11. roll — a cake
  12. race — the arms race
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. race — a contest
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. race — humankind
  21. deal — to handle
  22. field — a subject
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. current — happening now

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