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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: nail · field · firm · deal · rock · fine · current · spell

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. current — of water
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. spell — magic
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. field — a subject
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. field — farmland
  18. rock — music
  19. current — happening now
  20. firm — steady
  21. current — electric
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. firm — decided
  24. deal — to handle

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