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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 · bulb · staff · season · drill · rock · ruler · mate

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mate — a partner
  7. field — a subject
  8. drill — army training
  9. staff — employees
  10. field — for sport
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. staff — employees
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rock — music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — a friend
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. field — farmland
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. season — of the year

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