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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
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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: roll · coach · patient · field · mug · ruler · board · band

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. band — a music group
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. field — a subject
  5. mug — a face
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. roll — a cake
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mug — a cup
  14. board — to get on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — farmland
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. band — a ring
  23. roll — a list
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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