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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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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: rule · trunk · toast · last · ruler · tear · bound · mark

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mark — a grade
  4. toast — bread
  5. last — to go on
  6. rule — government
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. last — finally
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mark — a trace
  13. tear — from crying
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bound — certain
  16. last — final
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mark — to pay attention

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