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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: drill · row · fine · season · ball · mug · spring · calf

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. row — to paddle
  5. spring — the season
  6. mug — a face
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ball — a dance
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mug — a cup
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. drill — a practice
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mug — to rob
  21. season — of the year
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. spring — of water
  24. fine — all right

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