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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: season · rule · deal · foot · rest · content · lie · bound

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rest — a break
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — government
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — to handle
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. content — happy
  11. content — the amount
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. season — of the year
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rule — a law
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bound — certain

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