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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — to play on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cap — a lid
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rule — government
  16. stand — to bear
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rule — a law
  22. cap — a hat
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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