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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: field · spring · object · suit · ruler · race

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. field — farmland
  3. object — a thing
  4. race — the arms race
  5. object — to protest
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — for sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — the season
  11. race — humankind
  12. spring — a coil
  13. race — a contest
  14. object — an aim
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spring — of water
  18. suit — clothes

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