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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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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: bay · fall · club · bat · bowl · nail · spring · patient

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fall — the season
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. club — for golf
  9. spring — of water
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bat — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. club — a group
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fall — to drop

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