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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: bay · rule · hand · track · coach · club · racket · firm

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. club — for dancing
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. club — a group
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. track — a song
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. club — for golf
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — a path
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — decided
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — to keep track

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