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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
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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: hide · wave · kid · ruler · bulb · field · track · rush

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. field — for sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a path
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. kid — child
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. field — farmland
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. track — to keep track
  22. field — a subject
  23. track — a song
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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