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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mark — a grade
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chip — for betting
  10. drill — the tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pit — a hole
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — army training
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mark — a trace
  24. saw — the tool

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