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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: game · chip · bark · pound · object · key · coach · net

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. net — after costs
  4. chip — for betting
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — an aim
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bark — to shout
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. object — to protest
  18. game — a match
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. coach — a trainer

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