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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: drill · bowl · patient · row · rock · staff · cap · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. drill — army training
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. staff — employees
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cap — a hat
  20. drill — a practice
  21. staff — employees
  22. ball — a dance
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ball — a round shape

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