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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: bound · rock · can · wave · club · drill · bowl · game

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. drill — army training
  4. game — wild animals
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bound — obliged
  8. game — a match
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bound — certain
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. drill — the tool
  24. club — a group

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