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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · swing · bark · foot · safe · chip

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. swing — to play on
  5. foot — a measure
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. chip — for betting
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bark — to shout

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