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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: cap · chip · wave · court · mine · object · mug · arm

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cap — a lid
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. cap — of ice
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. cap — a hat
  11. object — a thing
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mine — for digging
  18. court — for sport
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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