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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 120 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 · cue · race · rule · fan · bay · ruler · scale

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. race — humankind
  7. rule — a law
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — certain
  11. scale — in music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rule — government
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cue — a signal
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — size or range
  24. ruler — a monarch

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