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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: ball · roll · field · bound · foot · board · pit · ruler

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bound — obliged
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — to get on
  19. field — farmland
  20. pit — in a race
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. field — a subject

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