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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: board · game · chip · race · rash · coach · sharp · bulb

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rash — a series
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. race — humankind
  8. bulb — for light
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chip — for betting
  14. race — a contest
  15. game — a match
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a committee
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — clever

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