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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: field · wax · bark · jam · craft · pit · board · ruler

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — boats
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. field — a subject
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. board — to get on
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. field — for sport
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bark — to shout
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — to grow

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