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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chip · ball · mug · swing · coach · capital · can · bear

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. capital — money
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. swing — to play on
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. swing — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. capital — a city
  21. chip — to eat
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bear — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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