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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.

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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: field · suit · cue · foot · race · pop · bowl · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. field — farmland
  6. race — a contest
  7. cue — for pool
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. field — for sport
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — soda
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pop — to visit
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pop — music
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. field — a subject
  23. race — humankind
  24. foot — a measure

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