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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: fall · ruler · hide · race · coach · bay · rush · pitch

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fall — the season
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. race — humankind
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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