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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: bound · drill · trunk · fall · key · clip · ruler · rock

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. key — in music
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — to cut
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bound — tied together
  17. drill — army training
  18. fall — to drop
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bound — certain
  23. fall — the season
  24. clip — for paper

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