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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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Word bank
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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: deal · bound · bowl · rush · rule · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rush — hurry
  4. cell — in biology
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bound — certain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — to hurry

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