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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: saw · deal · ball · game · wave · snap · plane · cap

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cap — a lid
  8. game — wild animals
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. snap — to click
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ball — a great time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. game — a match

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