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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: can · bowl · last · drill · land · racket · wave · suit

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — to come down
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. can — a tin
  6. drill — a practice
  7. land — ground
  8. can — to be able to
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. suit — in cards
  14. last — to go on
  15. land — a country
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. suit — to fit
  21. drill — army training
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — final
  24. drill — the tool

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