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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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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: pound · coach · lie · mouse · bay · swing · foot · chip

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. swing — in golf
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. chip — to eat
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. foot — the bottom

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