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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: foot · bowl · rule · wound · rock · mine · race · bound

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wound — an injury
  7. race — humankind
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rock — music
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — certain
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rule — a law
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rule — government

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