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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: ruler · hide · suit · field · board · stand · land · lean

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — thin
  3. field — a subject
  4. lean — to bend
  5. field — for sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — a country
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. land — to come down
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. land — ground
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. field — farmland
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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