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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: ball · chip · ruler · safe · patient · band · mate · field

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mate — a partner
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mate — a friend
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. band — a ring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. field — farmland
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. field — for sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a music group
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a great time
  23. patient — a sick person
  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