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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: chip · arm · cabinet · can · tube · bulb · lie · ball

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. tube — the underground
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. tube — a container
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chip — for betting
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. chip — in a computer

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