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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.

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: content · wake · press · toast · chip · mine · coach · ball

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. ball — a dance
  3. toast — bread
  4. press — newspapers
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mine — for digging
  12. press — to push
  13. chip — to eat
  14. press — a publisher
  15. content — happy
  16. ball — a great time
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. chip — for betting
  19. content — the amount
  20. wake — a trail
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. wake — before a funeral

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