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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.

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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: rash · key · foot · land · bowl · track · cabinet · jam

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. track — a song
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rash — a series
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. land — ground
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — a country
  18. track — a path
  19. key — in music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. land — to come down
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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