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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 120 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: field · stand · racket · ruler · suit · foot

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — a measure
  3. field — farmland
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. suit — clothes
  10. field — a subject
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stand — to bear
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. field — for sport

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