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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · roll · field · hide · ball · pitcher

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. field — for sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. roll — a list
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. roll — a cake
  18. field — farmland

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