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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 · face · date · foot · rule · capital · rock · ruler

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rule — government
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rock — a stone
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — certain
  12. rock — music
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. date — the fruit
  16. rule — a law
  17. face — to point toward
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. capital — a city
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. face — to confront

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