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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ball — a dance
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for dancing
  5. field — farmland
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — to rob
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. field — for sport
  12. club — for golf
  13. mug — a cup
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — a subject
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ball — a great time
  20. deal — to handle
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mug — a face
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — an agreement

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