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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: track · cabinet · fine · mate · ball · rash · ruler · face

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rash — a series
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — all right
  9. face — to point toward
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ball — a dance
  17. face — to confront
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. track — a song
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. face — part of the head

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