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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · bass · field · ruler · rule · staff

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. staff — employees
  7. present — a gift
  8. staff — a stick
  9. present — there
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. field — farmland
  13. field — for sport
  14. field — a subject
  15. bass — low music
  16. rule — a law
  17. present — the time now
  18. staff — employees

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