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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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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 · rule · mine · rest · racket · plane · rock · coach

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mine — for digging
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rest — a break
  10. present — a gift
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. present — there
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rule — a law
  21. rest — what's left
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — music
  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