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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 116 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: bound · dip · rash · race · mouse · rest · saw · rule

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rule — government
  10. race — humankind
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bound — certain
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rest — what's left
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rash — a series
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. race — a contest
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rule — a law

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