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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 116 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pit — a hole
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — from a university
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. current — electric
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — to drill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. current — happening now
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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