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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 120 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 · coach · rock · wave · ruler · bark · content · season

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bark — to shout
  7. rock — a stone
  8. chip — to eat
  9. season — of the year
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rock — music
  12. content — happy
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. content — the amount
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. season — in sport
  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