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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 116 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
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: pound · rock · mate · mine · ruler · fan · pitcher · field

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pound — a weight
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. field — for sport
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. field — a subject
  15. rock — music
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — farmland
  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