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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: pit · mine · game · cabinet · ball · snap · mug · wave

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mug — a cup
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. game — a match
  6. ball — a dance
  7. game — wild animals
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a face
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pit — in a race
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pit — a hole
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wave — with your hand

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