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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 120 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
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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: bowl · squash · fork · game · board · drill · wave · mine

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fork — in a road
  8. board — to get on
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. squash — to crush
  20. game — a match
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mine — for digging

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