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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: chip · race · court · press · object · coach · nail · calf

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of a king
  3. object — a thing
  4. court — of law
  5. object — to protest
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. race — humankind
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. race — the arms race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — to push
  16. race — a contest
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. press — a publisher
  22. court — for sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. object — an aim

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