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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 116 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: object · coach · spell · drill · bat · chip · board · pop

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. 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. bat — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. object — to protest
  6. pop — to visit
  7. spell — letters
  8. board — a committee
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. board — to get on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. chip — to eat
  18. spell — a short time
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pop — music
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. spell — magic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. 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