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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 · roll · clip · stand · spell · ruler · suit · lie

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — magic
  3. field — for sport
  4. clip — a video
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — letters
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stand — to bear
  16. spell — a short time
  17. field — farmland
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. roll — a cake
  20. clip — for paper
  21. field — a subject
  22. clip — to cut
  23. roll — a list
  24. suit — in cards

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