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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mate — to breed
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — a committee
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — a partner
  23. board — to get on
  24. bound — certain

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