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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 116 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: present · dip · fine · coach · chair · game · nail · spell

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. present — the time now
  3. game — a match
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fine — all right
  6. game — wild animals
  7. spell — a short time
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spell — magic
  17. present — there
  18. chair — a leader
  19. present — a gift
  20. spell — letters
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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