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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.

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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: land · nail · mouse · date · deal · rash · game · cabinet

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. game — a match
  4. land — ground
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. deal — to handle
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rash — a series
  11. land — to come down
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. date — the fruit
  16. rash — hasty
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. land — a country
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. nail — on a finger

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