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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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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: fall · ruler · pound · field · firm · board

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — decided
  7. field — a subject
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — to get on
  13. field — farmland
  14. firm — steady
  15. fall — to drop
  16. board — a committee
  17. pound — a weight
  18. board — a flat piece

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