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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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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. swing — in golf
  3. field — for sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. swing — to play on
  8. field — farmland
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. swing — music
  12. fine — all right
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fine — high quality
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. field — a subject
  19. suit — to fit
  20. court — for sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitcher — a jug

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