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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: roll · kid · ball · fan · row · rash · pass · tube

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kid — to tease
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. tube — a container
  17. kid — child
  18. rash — hasty
  19. row — to paddle
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tube — the underground

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