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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: mouse · pit · bank · rule · toast · game · bound · rest

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. rest — a break
  4. game — a match
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bound — certain
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — a law
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. toast — bread
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bank — for money
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — what's left
  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