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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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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: tube · bowl · arm · cap · ball · chip · deal · mouse

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a great time
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a dance
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. chip — for betting

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