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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — a practice
  3. season — in sport
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. season — of the year
  7. field — a subject
  8. staff — a stick
  9. field — for sport
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — certain
  12. land — to come down
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — a country
  21. field — farmland
  22. last — to go on
  23. bound — tied together
  24. land — ground

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