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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 · cabinet · rush · ball · lie · court · chip · dip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — hurry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cap — of ice
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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