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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · chip · cabinet · deal · field · cap · mouse · firm

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. field — for sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — decided
  14. cap — a hat
  15. field — farmland
  16. deal — to handle
  17. sharp — clever
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. firm — steady
  22. cap — a lid
  23. field — a subject
  24. sharp — exactly

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