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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: wind · bound · stick · race · track · ruler · branch · jam

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — a division
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. track — a song
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. race — the arms race
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. track — a path
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. race — a contest
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. race — humankind
  23. bound — certain
  24. ruler — a monarch

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