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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 · track · ruler · squash · can · last · field · rash

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a path
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — a tin
  5. last — finally
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. field — farmland
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. last — to go on
  18. track — a song
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — final
  21. track — to keep track
  22. field — for sport
  23. rash — hasty
  24. field — a subject

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