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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: ruler · key · mine · bank · bulb · face · field · rush

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rush — hurry
  8. field — for sport
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. field — farmland
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. key — the most important part
  16. face — to confront
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — in music
  22. field — a subject
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — of a plant

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