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

Word bank: bowl · chip · board · cell · prune · craft · racket · cabinet

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — a committee
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cell — in biology
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — to eat
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. board — to get on
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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