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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: coach · lie · racket · rash · content · fine · scale · chip

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — in music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. content — happy
  6. rash — a series
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chip — for betting
  9. content — the amount
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. scale — size or range
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rash — hasty
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. racket — for tennis

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