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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 120 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: degree · rock · racket · chair · kick · coach · rush · dip

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rock — music
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. degree — from a university
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rock — a stone
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. kick — in football
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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