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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
468
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: saw · field · face · drill · leaves · mug · racket · club

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. face — part of the head
  4. drill — a practice
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. field — for sport
  10. club — a group
  11. saw — the tool
  12. field — a subject
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — a face
  15. drill — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. field — farmland
  18. face — to confront
  19. mug — a cup
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. club — for golf
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. club — for dancing
  24. leaves — of a tree

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