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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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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: race · last · saw · bound · bowl · snap · rule · suit

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — government
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bound — tied together
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. rule — a law
  9. last — to go on
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bound — certain
  15. snap — to click
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — a contest
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — clothes

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