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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 120 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
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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: firm · bowl · row · file · chip · season · suit · cap

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. chip — for betting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — steady
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — in sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. row — a line
  16. cap — of ice
  17. season — of the year
  18. file — a line of people
  19. firm — a company
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — to paddle
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bowl — a dish

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