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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 · temple · cabinet · net · season · ball · fine · jam

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fine — high quality
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. net — after costs
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. net — for catching
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — in sport
  13. season — in sport
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ball — a dance
  17. chip — to eat
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. season — of the year
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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