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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — an aim
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — to get on
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. race — humankind
  16. board — a committee
  17. object — a thing
  18. game — a match
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. object — to protest
  24. ruler — for measuring

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