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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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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 · foot · chest · dip · row · pound · suit · ruler

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. foot — a measure
  3. chest — of your body
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chest — a box
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. row — a line
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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