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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: wave · board · deal · tube · ball · scale · cue · march

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. tube — the underground
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. march — music
  7. ball — a great time
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. march — the month
  11. ball — a dance
  12. board — to get on
  13. cue — for pool
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. march — the month
  17. deal — to handle
  18. board — a committee
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. tube — in a tire

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