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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: field · ball · racket · row · firm · swing · ruler · drill

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — for sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. row — a line
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — a company
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. firm — steady
  14. ball — a great time
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. field — farmland
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. drill — the tool
  24. swing — music

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