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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.

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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: chair · racket · face · stand · dip · suit · track · hand

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. track — a song
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. hand — in cards
  5. track — to keep track
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. suit — clothes
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. face — part of the head
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. suit — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. face — to point toward
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — to bear
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chair — to sit on
  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