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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: row · field · club · fall · staff · bowl · fine · drill

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — employees
  4. row — a line
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. field — for sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. field — farmland
  12. fine — high quality
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. field — a subject
  17. fall — to drop
  18. drill — army training
  19. fine — all right
  20. club — a group
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fall — to drop
  24. row — to paddle

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