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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: bulb · row · leaves · field · ruler · firm · jam · craft

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. craft — a skill
  10. firm — steady
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. craft — boats
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. field — a subject
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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