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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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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: rule · mug · rock · ball · lash · mine · bore · bound

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mug — a face
  7. rock — music
  8. rule — government
  9. bore — to drill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bound — certain
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — a law
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. mine — for digging

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