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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 116 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 · mug · rash · game · scale · lash · club · rush

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rash — a series
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. scale — size or range
  8. game — a match
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rash — hasty
  11. club — for golf
  12. scale — in music
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a great time
  16. mug — a face
  17. game — wild animals
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ball — a dance
  21. club — a group
  22. mug — to rob
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rash — on the skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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