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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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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: racket · current · snap · cap · bay · chip · coach · pitcher

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. current — happening now
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. current — electric
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. current — of water
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. snap — to click
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — for betting
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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