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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: rock · board · ball · dip · chip · straw · swing · coach

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. rock — music
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. ball — a great time
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rock — a stone
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ball — a dance
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rock — to move gently
  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