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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: bass · race · charge · mate · bound · snap · ruler · game

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. race — humankind
  3. snap — to click
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. charge — in control
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a match
  10. charge — electricity
  11. race — the arms race
  12. game — wild animals
  13. race — a contest
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bass — low music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mate — a partner
  20. charge — a price
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mate — a friend

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