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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. band — a music group
  6. pop — soda
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — to visit
  18. club — a group
  19. band — a ring
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. club — for golf
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pop — music

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