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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: court · cabinet · roll · track · mouse · wave · cell · rock

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. track — a song
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. court — for sport
  10. roll — a cake
  11. court — of law
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a path
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. court — of a king
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. cell — a phone

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