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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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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: calf · coach · pop · rock · bowl · chip

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rock — a stone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pop — music
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chip — to eat
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chip — in a computer

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