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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
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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: pitcher · rest · current · rash · bowl · field · plane · arm

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. field — for sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rest — a break
  8. rash — hasty
  9. field — a subject
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. field — farmland
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rash — a series
  21. plane — a tool
  22. current — happening now
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rest — what's left

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