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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chip · bear · key · bulb · jam · scale · coach · fall

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. key — for a lock
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fall — to drop
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fall — the season
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. key — in music
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — for light
  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