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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: bulb · club · bowl · chip · court · cabinet · arm · present

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. present — a gift
  6. club — a group
  7. court — of a king
  8. present — there
  9. club — for golf
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. court — of law
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chip — for betting
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. present — the time now
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chip — to eat

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