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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: stand · mate · file · jam · kick · band · game · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. kick — in football
  4. band — a ring
  5. mate — to breed
  6. game — wild animals
  7. rash — hasty
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a partner
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. game — a match
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. file — a document
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. file — a line of people
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mate — a friend

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