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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: current · court · rule · bound · rash · net · cabinet · bore

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — happening now
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. bound — obliged
  7. net — for catching
  8. bore — to drill
  9. court — of law
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. net — in sport
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bound — tied together
  14. court — for sport
  15. current — electric
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — government
  18. current — of water
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. net — after costs
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rule — a law

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