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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · date · cap · stock · cabinet · chair · arm · can

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cap — of ice
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stock — goods
  11. cap — a lid
  12. date — the fruit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. kick — in football
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cabinet — ministers

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