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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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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: net · board · bound · rock · stand · ruler · straw · drill

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bound — certain
  6. net — for catching
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — army training
  17. net — after costs
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bound — obliged
  20. board — to get on
  21. net — in sport
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rock — music
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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