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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: chip · lash · bulb · racket · roll · chair · court · track

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — a cake
  16. court — of law
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a list
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  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