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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: deal · fine · pass · bank · drill · wave · game · pop

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — soda
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — all right
  5. drill — the tool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bank — of a river
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pop — to visit
  18. drill — a practice
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pop — music
  21. drill — army training
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — of the sea

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