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

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. file — a line of people
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. file — a document
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tube — the underground
  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