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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.

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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: cue · mate · drill · cell · wave · ball · bank · ground

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cell — a phone
  5. drill — a practice
  6. ground — a position
  7. drill — army training
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cue — a signal

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