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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: ball · stand · fan · mark · chip · coach · chest · bay

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chest — of your body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chest — a box
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bay — a horse colour

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