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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: chip · object · fine · rest · coach · court · squash · jam

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. object — an aim
  3. court — for sport
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rest — what's left
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. object — a thing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. squash — to crush
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rest — a break
  15. object — to protest
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. court — of law
  19. squash — the sport
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. court — of a king
  24. fine — all right

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