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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bass — low music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — the tool
  6. land — to come down
  7. drill — a practice
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bass — the fish
  12. saw — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. mark — a trace
  15. land — ground
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stand — to bear
  20. field — for sport
  21. land — a country
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — a subject

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