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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: fork · band · toast · bound · stick · ruler

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. band — a music group
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bound — certain
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. toast — bread
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. band — a ring

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