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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: bowl · kick · coach · wave · chip · fan · sharp · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. march — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. sharp — clever
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. march — the month
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chip — to eat
  23. kick — in football
  24. fan — a supporter

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