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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: bowl · cabinet · pitcher · object · chair · chip · arm · wake

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. object — a thing
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. object — to protest
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. object — an aim

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