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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · chip · cabinet · pit · snap · coach · net · bore

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. net — for catching
  7. chip — to eat
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. net — in sport
  14. snap — to click
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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