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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 116 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: ball · craft · ground · bay · file · patient · rock · club

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. club — for golf
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a skill
  7. file — a line of people
  8. craft — boats
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. club — a group
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. file — a tool
  14. ground — a position
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. file — a document
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rock — a stone
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — crushed
  24. club — for dancing

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