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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: foot · rule · patient · pitcher · bowl · jam · firm · ball

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — a company
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rule — government
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rule — a law
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. firm — decided
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. firm — steady
  24. bowl — a football final

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