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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: pound · can · cap · date · drill · wave · suit · roll

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cap — a hat
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. drill — the tool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. cap — of ice
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pound — a weight
  15. can — a tin
  16. roll — a list
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. can — to be able to
  19. drill — army training
  20. cap — a lid
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. date — on the calendar

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