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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: bowl · sharp · pitcher · chair · cabinet · mate · swing · cap

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cap — a hat
  8. swing — to play on
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mate — a partner
  12. chair — a leader
  13. swing — music
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mate — a friend
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cap — of ice
  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