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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.

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: toast · net · field · swing · pitch · ruler · mine · fan

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. field — for sport
  6. mine — for digging
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. toast — bread
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — farmland
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — in sport
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — after costs
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. field — a subject

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