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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
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: rest · bulb · ruler · track · field · march · stand · date

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. track — a song
  7. rest — what's left
  8. field — a subject
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. march — the month
  17. date — the fruit
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rest — what's left
  24. march — music

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