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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: chip · tube · fan · firm · swing · bay · coach · cap

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — a container
  9. firm — a company
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cap — a hat
  18. swing — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. swing — to play on

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