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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: track · pass · straw · patient · racket · bowl · leaves · roll

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. track — a song
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pass — a permit
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. track — a path
  20. roll — a list
  21. track — to keep track
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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