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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
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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: hide · bulb · bore · race · object · coach · chip · plane

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. race — a contest
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — to tire
  18. race — humankind
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — for betting

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