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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 · hide · ball · fan · toast · game · deal · track

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rash — a series
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. track — a song
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. game — a match
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. game — wild animals
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. toast — bread
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. track — a path

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