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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: chair · drill · wave · capital · dip · bass · deal · cue

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bass — low music
  6. capital — money
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. deal — to handle
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. drill — army training
  12. capital — a city
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. drill — a practice
  15. chair — a leader
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. dip — a sauce

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