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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: bound · mine · fork · face · ruler · kick · current · pop

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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. face — part of the head
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — in football
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bound — obliged
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bound — certain
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. current — of water
  12. face — to point toward
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pop — soda
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — music
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. face — to confront
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mine — for digging

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