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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · field · mine · lie · board · suit · straw · toast

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — for digging
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. field — a subject
  9. toast — bread
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. field — for sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. lie — to recline
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. board — to get on
  24. mine — belonging to me

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