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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: coach · bound · degree · racket · mate · chip · pass · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bound — obliged
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — certain
  10. mate — a partner
  11. degree — temperature
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. degree — an amount
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chip — to eat
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. racket — for tennis

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