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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: net · racket · rock · ruler · cell · bound · safe · board

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rock — music
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. board — to get on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a committee
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rock — a stone
  13. net — in sport
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. net — after costs
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. net — for catching
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — certain
  24. safe — out of danger

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