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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pound — a weight
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. key — the most important part
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cold — not warm
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cold — an illness
  18. suit — in cards
  19. key — in music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. suit — to fit
  24. key — for a lock

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