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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: field · arm · ruler · can · suit · deal · rush · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. suit — to fit
  4. can — a tin
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bat — the animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. deal — to handle
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. field — for sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rush — hurry
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. field — farmland
  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