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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: rest · land · racket · coach · game · cabinet

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rest — a break
  7. game — wild animals
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — to come down

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