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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 120 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: suit · pitcher · field · temple · mate · foot · board · can

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. suit — clothes
  6. can — to be able to
  7. field — a subject
  8. foot — a measure
  9. suit — to fit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mate — a friend
  12. field — for sport
  13. mate — to breed
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — farmland
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. suit — in cards
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mate — a partner

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