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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mark — a trace
  16. can — a tin
  17. degree — temperature
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. drill — army training

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