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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 120 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: coach · chip · pop · fan · key · sharp · court · mouse

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. court — of law
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pop — music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. court — for sport
  10. pop — to visit
  11. key — for a lock
  12. court — of a king
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — in music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — for a computer

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