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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 · coach · deal · firm · date · current · hand · toast

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. hand — in cards
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. toast — bread
  8. current — of water
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. current — happening now
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — help
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. firm — a company
  21. deal — to handle
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. current — electric

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