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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 120 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
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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: kid · game · rash · cabinet · stick · net · ball · track

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — to tease
  8. track — to keep track
  9. net — in sport
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. track — a path
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. net — after costs
  14. track — a song
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — for catching
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rash — hasty
  23. kid — child
  24. game — a match

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