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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.

Make a worksheet

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: staff · ball · firm · bowl · capital · patient · saw · lash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a great time
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. capital — money
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. firm — decided
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. capital — a city
  20. staff — employees
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bowl — to roll

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