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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: ruler · field · row · last · stand · fine · season · lash

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fine — all right
  3. field — farmland
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. field — for sport
  6. fine — high quality
  7. row — a line
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stand — to bear
  11. last — finally
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. field — a subject
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fine — a penalty

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