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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · present · fan · mark · kid · key · coach · chip

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. chip — for betting
  3. kid — child
  4. key — for a lock
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — to eat
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. present — the time now
  11. can — a tin
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. present — there
  16. key — in music
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — to be able to
  21. kid — to tease
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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