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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 · pound · chair · squash · dip · temple · band · fan

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. squash — the sport
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a ring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. band — a music group
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pound — to hit hard

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