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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: rash · hand · fine · ball · snap · dip · game · mug

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. mug — to rob
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. mug — a face
  6. rash — hasty
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fine — all right
  12. snap — to click
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. game — a match
  16. rash — a series
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. fine — high quality
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. game — wild animals
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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