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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: mark · ruler · race · club · bound · jam · lie · present

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — a gift
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mark — a trace
  9. present — the time now
  10. bound — obliged
  11. race — humankind
  12. bound — tied together
  13. club — a group
  14. bound — certain
  15. present — there
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. club — for golf
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. club — for dancing
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. race — a contest

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