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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · field · ruler · mate · pit · mine · game · board

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — farmland
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mug — a face
  6. field — for sport
  7. mine — for digging
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mate — a friend
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mug — to rob
  20. board — a committee
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. game — a match
  24. board — a flat piece

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