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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
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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: ball · cabinet · drill · pound · wave · bulb · mug · cold

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pound — a weight
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cold — not warm
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cold — an illness
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. mug — to rob
  23. ball — a great time
  24. pound — to hit hard

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