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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: jam · season · chip · coach · squash · ball · cell · sharp

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. season — in sport
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cell — in biology
  10. sharp — clever
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cell — a phone
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chip — for betting
  22. season — of the year
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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