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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. can — to be able to
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — of law
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chip — for betting
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. court — for sport
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitch — completely
  24. deal — to handle

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