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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 116 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 · bore · face · coach · ball · bowl · fan · staff

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  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 — to eat
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bore — to drill
  23. face — part of the head
  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