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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: temple · game · field · deal · mark · mouse · cap · rash

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. game — wild animals
  4. field — farmland
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cap — a lid
  14. field — for sport
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. field — a subject
  17. cap — a hat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rash — a series
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rash — hasty

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