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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: wave · fall · fan · field · saw · ruler · mark · arm

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. field — for sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. field — farmland
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fall — the season
  20. field — a subject
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fall — to drop

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