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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: deal · field · ruler · mark · board · suit · arm · plane

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. field — farmland
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. board — a committee
  5. mark — a trace
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. field — a subject
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. field — for sport
  13. board — to get on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. plane — a tool
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mark — a grade

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