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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: bulb · coach · squash · rule · key · rest · game · bound

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — what's left
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rule — government
  11. bound — tied together
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. game — wild animals
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. game — a match
  24. bulb — for light

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