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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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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: pound · coach · nail · bear · chip · rock · hide · season

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. season — in sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. season — of the year
  12. bear — the animal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — a stone

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