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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 · chip · jam · calf · squash · saw · sharp

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chip — for betting
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. cap — a hat
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cap — of ice
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. saw — the tool

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