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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: cabinet · mouse · rash · fork · mug · arm · chip · bank

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mug — to rob
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. rash — hasty
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — for money
  19. rash — a series
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bank — for money
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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