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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: roll · present · chip · foot · jam · coach · wake · mate

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — a measure
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — a gift
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. roll — a list
  20. wake — a trail
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. present — there
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chip — to eat

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