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

Word bank: race · cue · bound · safe · foot · rule · ground · row

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bound — obliged
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cue — a signal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. row — a line
  12. rule — government
  13. ground — crushed
  14. race — a contest
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rule — a law
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. row — to paddle
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — humankind
  23. bound — certain
  24. cue — a hint

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