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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 · cap · mate · hand · racket · ruler · chip · hide

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cap — of ice
  3. hand — in cards
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mate — a partner
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mate — to breed
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hand — help
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cap — a lid
  24. racket — for tennis

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