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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
468
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: deal · drill · arm · key · club · patient · ball · mug

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mug — a cup
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. club — for golf
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. key — for a lock
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mug — a face
  13. club — a group
  14. drill — army training
  15. mug — to rob
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. key — in music
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. drill — the tool

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