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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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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: ruler · chip · pitcher · roll · rush · race · rock · arm

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a list
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. race — humankind
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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