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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: stem · coach · foot · mate · chip · mine · cue · ball

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cue — a signal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mate — a partner
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mate — a friend
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cue — for pool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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