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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: bound · pop · wind · chip · file · bowl · coach · charge

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bound — certain
  3. file — a document
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wind — moving air
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pop — to visit
  18. charge — in control
  19. bound — obliged
  20. file — a tool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bound — tied together
  23. chip — for betting
  24. charge — a price

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