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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · jam · game · ball · club · bark · patient · cabinet

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. club — for golf
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. club — for dancing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. game — a match
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bark — to shout
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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