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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: jam · field · clip · fine · wake · stand · pass · ruler

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. field — farmland
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. clip — a video
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. clip — for paper
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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