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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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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kid — child
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. kid — to tease
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bark — to shout
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. deal — to handle
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rock — music

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