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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: wind · bowl · club · row · patient · fork

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fork — in a road
  3. club — a group
  4. row — to paddle
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. row — a line
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wind — moving air
  12. club — for golf
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fork — to eat with

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