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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 120 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: ruler · deal · hand · rule · pound · net · leaves · bound

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bound — tied together
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. hand — help
  17. pound — a weight
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bound — certain
  22. net — after costs
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pound — for dogs

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