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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 116 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: field · bowl · current · deal · ruler · drill · staff · hide

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — to handle
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — a stick
  8. drill — a practice
  9. field — farmland
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — of water
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. drill — army training
  17. field — a subject
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. drill — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. field — for sport
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. current — happening now

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