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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: lash · content · firm · patient · ball · roll · club · mug

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. firm — steady
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. content — the amount
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. club — for golf
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — to rob
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. content — happy
  19. ball — a great time
  20. club — a group
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mug — a face
  23. club — for dancing
  24. firm — decided

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