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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: bat · race · ruler · chip · foot · bowl · coach · fan

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. race — the arms race
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — for betting
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bat — for baseball

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