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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 116 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 · ruler · file · fan · rule · mouse · pitch · bowl

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. race — a contest
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — humankind
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. file — a document
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fan — to cool the air

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