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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: fine · ball · bowl · staff · mug · pitcher · field · kick

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mug — a face
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mug — to rob
  11. staff — a stick
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. field — a subject
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. fine — all right
  21. ball — a great time
  22. field — farmland
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fine — high quality

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