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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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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: chip · pound · rest · ruler · bay · bound · row · rule

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rest — a break
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — government
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rule — a law
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pound — for dogs

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