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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.

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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: fan · game · rash · pass · rock · bay · tube · ball

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rash — a series
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. game — a match
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. tube — a container
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. game — a kind of play

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