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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 · cap · suit · game · bound · safe · bay · wake

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bound — obliged
  4. game — wild animals
  5. cap — a lid
  6. game — a match
  7. cap — a hat
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bound — certain
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — of ice
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rule — government
  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