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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 · mark · game · branch · safe · season · stick · rule

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. season — in sport
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. game — wild animals
  13. mark — a grade
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rule — a law
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — of the year
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bound — certain
  22. game — a match
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rule — government

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