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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: ball · wave · patient · cabinet · net · track · drill · stick

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — a song
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. drill — the tool
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. net — for catching
  15. track — to keep track
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. drill — army training
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. track — a path
  22. ball — a dance
  23. patient — a sick person
  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