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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. net — after costs
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — the cause
  11. mark — a grade
  12. net — in sport
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chip — for betting
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chip — to eat
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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