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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: object · pit · field · ruler · suit · hide

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. 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. object — a thing
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. object — to protest
  4. suit — in cards
  5. field — farmland
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. field — for sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. object — an aim
  15. field — a subject
  16. pit — in a race
  17. suit — clothes
  18. 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