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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: swing · net · bay · bowl · bear · current · field · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. swing — in golf
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. current — of water
  11. swing — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — electric
  16. field — a subject
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. current — happening now
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. pass — to spend time

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