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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. suit — in cards
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. chip — to eat
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rash — a series
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — clothes
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. band — a ring
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rash — hasty

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