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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: rash · mark · leaves · hide · cell · ball · date · bowl

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ball — a great time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. ball — a dance
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. date — the fruit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mark — a grade

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