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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: bank · pound · craft · bound · race · ruler · board · lean

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. board — to get on
  4. race — humankind
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — thin
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. race — a contest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — tied together
  17. board — a committee
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pound — a weight
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — the arms race

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