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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.

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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: kick · coach · tube · swing · key · temple · board · dip

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. swing — music
  4. board — to get on
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. tube — the underground
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. tube — a container
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — in golf
  18. key — the most important part
  19. swing — to play on
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. dip — to sink
  23. board — a committee
  24. kick — in football

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