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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: race · ruler · rush · craft · bowl · squash · chip · mate

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. squash — to crush
  8. chip — for betting
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. race — the arms race
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. race — a contest
  22. squash — the sport
  23. craft — boats
  24. race — humankind

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