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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: stick · object · chip · mouse · mate · bore · coach · race

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. chip — to eat
  3. object — to protest
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. race — humankind
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. race — the arms race
  10. chip — for betting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — to drill
  17. object — a thing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. race — a contest
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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