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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 · fork · present · dip · field · can · calf · current

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. present — there
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. current — electric
  17. dip — to sink
  18. present — a gift
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — of water
  21. present — the time now
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — to eat with

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