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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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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: perch · safe · racket · cold · ball · hide · coach · chip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ball — a great time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cold — not warm
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — for betting
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cold — an illness
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — the fish

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