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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: face · wake · foot · fan · plane · bound · race · rule

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. wake — a trail
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — a law
  5. face — to point toward
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bound — obliged
  12. face — to confront
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. race — a contest
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — humankind

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