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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: craft · patient · track · jam · rest · cue · pop · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a great time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pop — to visit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. track — a song
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pop — music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pop — soda
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. track — a path
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — a signal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rest — what's left

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