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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: object · wave · drill · bear · ball · cold · craft · deal

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — army training
  3. ball — a dance
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. drill — a practice
  7. object — an aim
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. object — to protest
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cold — not warm
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — boats
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cold — an illness

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