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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: jam · staff · toast · land · track · ruler · bear · field

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. land — a country
  3. field — a subject
  4. staff — employees
  5. bear — the animal
  6. land — to come down
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bear — the animal
  10. field — for sport
  11. track — to keep track
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. land — ground
  15. field — farmland
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. staff — employees
  19. toast — bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. track — a song
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. track — a path

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