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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: track · chip · court · charge · coach · face · game · safe

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. chip — for betting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. charge — a price
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. court — of law
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — of a king
  11. face — to confront
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. chip — to eat
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. face — to point toward
  16. charge — electricity
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a match
  19. track — to keep track
  20. court — for sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  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