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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
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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: rock · mug · coach · bear · capital · court · chip · jam

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. capital — money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. court — of a king
  16. mug — to rob
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — for sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. court — of law
  22. capital — a city
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a cup

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