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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.

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: wake · ball · file · board · patient · bowl · saw · root

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. file — a tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wake — a trail
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — of a word
  12. board — to get on
  13. root — the cause
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. saw — the tool
  19. root — of a plant
  20. ball — a great time
  21. file — a document
  22. board — a committee
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — a dish

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