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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 · ruler · kick · pitcher · safe · bore · rule · land

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. land — ground
  7. rule — government
  8. bound — certain
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. land — to come down
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ruler — for measuring

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