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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: track · board · bound · field · ruler · band · pitcher · file

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — a song
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. field — farmland
  6. board — a committee
  7. file — a tool
  8. band — a music group
  9. bound — certain
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — to get on
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bound — tied together
  14. field — a subject
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. track — a path
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — obliged
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a ring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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