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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 120 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
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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: rash · safe · coach · ground · content · chip · club · bat

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rash — a series
  4. content — the amount
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. club — a group
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ground — crushed
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. content — happy
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ground — a position
  24. club — for golf

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