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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: firm · scale · board · present · shower · cabinet · chip · date

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. scale — in music
  4. date — the fruit
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — the time now
  10. scale — size or range
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. firm — steady
  13. shower — rain
  14. chip — for betting
  15. firm — decided
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. board — to get on
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. shower — to wash
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. chip — to eat
  24. firm — a company

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