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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
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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: fine · wave · game · cabinet · ball · chair · march · drill

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. march — music
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. game — wild animals
  9. march — the month
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — a leader
  14. drill — army training
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. march — the month
  19. fine — all right
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. game — a match
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — a penalty

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