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

Word bank: cabinet · pound · ruler · temple · bound · rest

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — a break
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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