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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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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: craft · saw · rule · ruler · bound · band · kick · stand

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a music group
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — a law
  10. kick — in football
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. craft — boats
  16. band — a ring
  17. rule — government
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bound — obliged
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. band — a rubber band

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