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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.

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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: kid · pit · bulb · track · wave · fine · coach · chip

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. track — a path
  12. chip — to eat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. kid — to tease
  24. fine — high quality

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