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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: track · roll · ruler · patient · kick · kid · firm · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. roll — a list
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. roll — a cake
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kid — to tease
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kid — child
  16. kick — in football
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — steady
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. track — a path
  24. firm — decided

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