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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 116 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: land · ball · mine · chair · stick · game · wave · key

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. land — to come down
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. key — in music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ball — a great time
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chair — a leader
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. game — a match
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. land — a country
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — ground

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