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

Word bank: wake · bay · deal · wind · chip · pass · drill · ball

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ball — a dance
  18. drill — army training
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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