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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · foot · game · ball · perch · drill · ruler · patient

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. game — wild animals
  5. drill — a practice
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a match
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a great time
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. perch — the fish

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