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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · rush · fine · bound · leaves · rock · kid · cell

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — obliged
  4. cell — a phone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bound — certain
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bound — tied together
  11. kid — to tease
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — all right
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kid — child
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. cell — in biology

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