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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: jam · ball · chip · mark · tube · foot · coach · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chip — for betting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. tube — a container

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