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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: saw · field · kid · ball · wave · wake · cabinet · pass

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kid — child
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. field — a subject
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. field — farmland
  18. ball — a dance
  19. kid — to tease
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. ball — a great time

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