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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: ruler · rest · bay · dip · field · bear · charge · mine

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. field — a subject
  3. charge — in control
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. charge — a price
  14. field — for sport
  15. rest — a break
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  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