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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: calf · coach · pop · rock · bowl · chip · ground · bore

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rock — music
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ground — a position
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — to tire

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