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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: land · cabinet · field · board · ruler · bulb · suit · staff

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. land — ground
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. field — for sport
  10. land — to come down
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. field — a subject
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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