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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 116 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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Word bank
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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: mark · ruler · rash · row · press · bound

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. row — a line
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rash — a series
  7. press — to push
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bound — certain
  10. mark — a grade
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mark — a trace

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