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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: pitcher · rash · land · racket · rest · game · staff · bear

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rash — a series
  4. land — a country
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. staff — employees
  15. land — to come down
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. land — ground
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. game — a kind of play

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