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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · racket · press · track · rule · cabinet · chip · mine

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rule — government
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. track — to keep track
  13. press — to push
  14. track — a path
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chip — to eat
  20. press — a publisher
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. track — a song
  23. rule — a law
  24. mine — an explosive

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