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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bank — of a river
  3. firm — steady
  4. bound — certain
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ground — the earth
  7. branch — a division
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — army training
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. land — a country
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bound — obliged
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bank — for money
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. land — ground
  20. ground — a position
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bank — for money

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