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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 · season · jam · net · key · dip · row · ruler

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. net — in sport
  4. season — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. field — for sport
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. field — farmland
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. net — for catching
  12. field — a subject
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. key — in music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. row — a line
  17. season — of the year
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. row — to paddle
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. key — the most important part

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