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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: present · drill · bay · racket · pop · coach · chair · nail

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. present — the time now
  17. drill — a practice
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. present — there
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. present — a gift
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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