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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 · club · chip · arm · hand · nail · cap · track

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — to eat
  5. track — a path
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a song
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. track — to keep track
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. club — for dancing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hand — part of the body

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