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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
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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 · safe · track · root · land · coach · court · lean

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. court — of a king
  3. track — to keep track
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lean — thin
  9. root — the cause
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. track — a path
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. land — a country
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. court — for sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. track — a song
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. court — of law
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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