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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: fan · hide · cabinet · court · chip · pit · roll · spell

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. court — of a king
  12. spell — magic
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. roll — a list
  15. pit — a hole
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. court — of law
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. court — for sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. spell — letters
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pit — in a race

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