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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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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: coach · wave · chip · rule · present · snap · pound · wind

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. snap — to click
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. present — there
  11. wind — moving air
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rule — government
  16. chip — to eat
  17. present — a gift
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rule — a law
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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