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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: row · spring · mark · ground · mouse · ball · patient · suit

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spring — the season
  3. ground — a position
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spring — a coil
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spring — of water
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ball — a great time
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ground — crushed
  20. row — a line
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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