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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: drill · wax · sharp · court · mouse · deal · cabinet · tube

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. drill — the tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. deal — to handle
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. drill — army training
  13. sharp — clever
  14. court — of a king
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — to grow
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. court — for sport
  23. tube — the underground
  24. drill — a practice

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