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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 120 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: wave · calf · fine · deal · cabinet · court · game · snap

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. court — for sport
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. game — wild animals
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — high quality
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. snap — to click

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