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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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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: bound · arm · rule · rock · temple · bore · tear · stand

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — government
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rock — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bound — obliged
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bound — tied together
  24. tear — to rip

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