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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · ball · coach · cue · kid · pitcher · chip · net

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. temple — side of the head
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. chip — for betting
  7. net — after costs
  8. kid — child
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ball — a great time
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cue — a signal
  23. kid — to tease
  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