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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: cap · season · ball · coach · chair · fine · chip · spring

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — the season
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a great time
  12. spring — a coil
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chip — to eat
  16. season — of the year
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spring — of water
  22. fine — high quality
  23. cap — a lid
  24. season — in sport

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