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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.

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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: fork · firm · wax · bulb · lean · ruler · field · roll

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. firm — decided
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lean — to bend
  9. firm — steady
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. field — for sport
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. roll — a list
  18. wax — to grow
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. field — a subject
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lean — thin
  24. field — farmland

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