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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · can · mine · bound · foot · toast · rule · rash

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. can — to be able to
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mine — for digging
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rash — a series
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rule — government
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. toast — the most admired

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