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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
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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: ball · game · jam · drill · wind · wave · craft · field

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. drill — army training
  3. wind — moving air
  4. field — farmland
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. game — wild animals
  10. drill — the tool
  11. field — for sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. field — a subject
  16. ball — a dance
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. game — a match
  19. craft — boats
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. craft — a skill
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. drill — a practice

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