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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: coach · straw · calf · rash · rule · chip · key · pop

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. key — the most important part
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rule — government
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. chip — for betting
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. key — in music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rule — a law
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pop — soda
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rash — a series
  22. pop — music
  23. chip — to eat
  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