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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — for betting
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. content — happy
  8. drill — a practice
  9. chip — to eat
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. field — for sport
  14. drill — the tool
  15. field — farmland
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. drill — army training
  20. content — the amount
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — in cards

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