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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: pound · last · swing · chip · can · craft · coach · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. chip — for betting
  4. last — to go on
  5. can — to be able to
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. craft — boats
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. swing — to play on
  12. can — a tin
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. last — finally
  19. craft — a skill
  20. last — final
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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