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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: game · saw · rash · snap · content · fine · mouse · cabinet

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fine — all right
  17. content — happy
  18. rash — hasty
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. content — the amount
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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