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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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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ball — a great time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mark — a trace
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. race — humankind
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. game — a match
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. race — a contest

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