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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chip — for betting
  3. field — farmland
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chair — a leader
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. field — a subject
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pass — a permit
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. chip — to eat
  23. swing — to play on
  24. coach — a trainer

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