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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: dip · deal · land · rash · pass · kick · spell · ball

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rash — a series
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. land — a country
  7. spell — letters
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. spell — magic
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. dip — to sink
  17. land — to come down
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kick — in football
  20. land — ground
  21. rash — hasty
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rash — on the skin

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