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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. swing — to play on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. swing — in golf
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. swing — music
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pit — in a race
  16. season — in sport
  17. snap — to click
  18. season — of the year
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pit — a hole
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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