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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: deal · field · wake · ruler · shower · safe · bulb · land

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. field — farmland
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bulb — for light
  6. field — a subject
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — ground
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. land — a country
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. land — to come down
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. field — for sport
  24. ruler — a monarch

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