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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: racket · can · cell · wave · drill · march · deal · net

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. drill — army training
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. net — after costs
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — to be able to
  8. drill — a practice
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. march — music
  11. net — for catching
  12. can — a tin
  13. cell — a phone
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. can — a tin
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. drill — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. march — the month
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wave — with your hand

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