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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 116 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: bear · race · rest · chip · bass · rush · bay · ruler

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bass — the fish
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — low music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. race — a contest
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rest — what's left
  21. race — humankind
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. rest — a break

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