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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: can · current · file · key · spring · field · club · pitch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. spring — of water
  3. field — for sport
  4. spring — a coil
  5. file — a line of people
  6. can — a tin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. club — a group
  9. spring — the season
  10. club — for golf
  11. field — farmland
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pitch — completely
  22. can — to be able to
  23. field — a subject
  24. current — electric

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