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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: bound · object · fan · ball · rule · bank · pit · bear

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — a thing
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rule — government
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bank — for money
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — certain
  17. rule — a law
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. rule — to rule out

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