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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 116 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: prune · field · coach · hand · ball · drill · bowl · rock

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. rock — a stone
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. drill — army training
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. hand — help
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. field — farmland
  17. ball — a great time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. field — a subject
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — a practice

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