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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bound — tied together
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. drill — army training
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. drill — the tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bound — certain
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — a division
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bound — obliged
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — a match
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. hide — animal skin

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