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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.

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: wave · rash · ruler · field · mine · cabinet · bulb · mark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. field — a subject
  5. rash — a series
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. field — farmland
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mine — for digging
  22. field — for sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mark — a grade

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