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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: bat · chip · coach · bowl · rock · bear · key · dip

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bat — the animal
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. key — in music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — for betting

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