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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: ball · rash · cabinet · kid · deal · game · board · firm

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. deal — to handle
  4. kid — child
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. game — a match
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a great time
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rash — a series
  14. firm — steady
  15. kid — to tease
  16. board — a committee
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. board — to get on
  19. firm — decided
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. firm — a company
  22. rash — hasty
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a dance

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