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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: row · rush · bowl · bound · stand · rest · present · rule

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rule — a law
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rule — government
  5. rest — a break
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. present — there
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — a line
  24. present — a gift

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