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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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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 · field · fall · bay · clip · ball · band · ruler

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. field — farmland
  3. clip — for paper
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fall — to drop
  10. field — a subject
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. field — for sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. clip — to cut
  15. suit — to fit
  16. clip — a video
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fall — the season
  24. ball — a dance

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