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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: coach · game · chip · temple · march · board · rule · safe

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rule — a law
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. board — to get on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. march — music
  12. game — a match
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rule — government
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. march — the month
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. board — a committee
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — for betting
  23. march — the month
  24. coach — a trainer

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