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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: key · cabinet · squash · ball · stand · ruler · lie · chip

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. key — in music
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chip — for betting
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. lie — an untruth

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