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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: spell · cabinet · tube · foot · deal · saw · drill · ball

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tube — a container
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. spell — letters
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ball — a great time
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. deal — to handle
  15. saw — the tool
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. spell — magic
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — the tool
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. foot — a measure
  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