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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: firm · fall · chip · rock · can · capital · season · coach

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. firm — decided
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fall — to drop
  9. firm — a company
  10. fall — to drop
  11. capital — a city
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. rock — a stone
  15. firm — steady
  16. can — a tin
  17. capital — money
  18. chip — for betting
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. can — to be able to
  24. season — in sport

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