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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: last · dip · bulb · mark · field · file · arm · ruler

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mark — a trace
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. last — to go on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. last — finally
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. last — final
  13. dip — to sink
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mark — a grade
  17. field — farmland
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bulb — for light
  23. file — a tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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