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

Word bank: race · coach · bowl · perch · fall · arm · key · ruler

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — in music
  4. race — humankind
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. race — a contest
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fall — to drop

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