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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: game · spell · pass · drill · cabinet · face · deal · cue

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. game — a match
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. face — to confront
  7. spell — magic
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cue — a hint
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. drill — army training
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. face — to point toward
  16. cue — for pool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. face — part of the head
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spell — letters
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — a short time
  24. game — wild animals

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