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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
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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: chip · bowl · cap · cabinet · racket · fork

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. chip — for betting
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cap — a lid
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bowl — a dish

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