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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: kid · chip · rock · board · sharp · coach · mouse · mine

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. kid — child
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. sharp — clever
  8. board — to get on
  9. mine — for digging
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kid — to tease
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rock — music

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