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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: chip · rule · coach · mark · suit · bowl · race · wave

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — a grade
  5. race — humankind
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rule — a law
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rule — government
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. suit — in cards
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — to eat

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