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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: race · wave · current · rule · mug · mine · rush · bound

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mug — a face
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — government
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. current — of water
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. current — happening now
  13. bound — tied together
  14. race — a contest
  15. bound — certain
  16. rule — a law
  17. current — electric
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. race — humankind
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wave — of the sea

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