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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 120 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: ruler · race · chip · squash · swing · bay · bark · fine

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — all right
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. race — a contest
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — high quality
  12. swing — music
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. race — humankind
  15. bark — to shout
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chip — to eat
  23. squash — the sport
  24. race — the arms race

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