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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.

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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 · game · deal · nail · racket · net · leaves · dip

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — hasty
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rash — a series
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. game — a match
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. game — wild animals

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