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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: bulb · ruler · hide · jam · field · pitch · charge · scale

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. field — a subject
  14. scale — size or range
  15. field — farmland
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitch — completely
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — a price

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