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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.

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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: row · hide · drill · mark · stand · game · ball · club

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. row — a line
  3. drill — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. row — to paddle
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a dance
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — a match
  18. club — a group
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. drill — army training
  21. ball — a great time
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. hide — to keep secret

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