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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · file · mark · season · fine · field · rock · ruler

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. season — of the year
  3. file — a tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a document
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — music
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mark — a grade
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. field — farmland
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mark — a trace
  24. season — in sport

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