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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: fine · bulb · plane · chest · stand · field · ruler · race

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. race — a contest
  5. stand — to bear
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fine — high quality
  8. race — humankind
  9. field — farmland
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. field — for sport
  14. chest — of your body
  15. field — a subject
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. race — the arms race
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chest — a box
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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