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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: pit · racket · cabinet · board · mine · coach · content · suit

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. board — to get on
  10. mine — for digging
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. board — a committee
  24. suit — to fit

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