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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.

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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 · swing · stock · chip · leaves · firm · coach · vault

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. swing — music
  2. chip — for betting
  3. firm — decided
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — to play on
  6. chip — to eat
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — a safe
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kid — to tease
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. firm — a company
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. kid — child
  18. swing — in golf
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — goods
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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