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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: land · lie · pit · bore · ruler · stand · field · present

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pit — in a race
  3. land — to come down
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. field — farmland
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — the time now
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — there
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. land — ground
  19. land — a country
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bore — to drill
  22. field — for sport
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — to bear

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