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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: row · mark · season · field · track · ruler · wave · kid

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. track — to keep track
  5. row — a line
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. track — a song
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. field — farmland
  11. track — a path
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. field — a subject
  14. row — to paddle
  15. season — in sport
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mark — a trace
  20. field — for sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — a grade

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