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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: shower · bound · wound · band · stick · key · rule · plane

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bound — tied together
  5. shower — to wash
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bound — certain
  8. rule — a law
  9. key — the most important part
  10. shower — rain
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. rule — government
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bound — obliged
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. band — a music group
  23. plane — a tool
  24. 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