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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 120 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: band · drill · ruler · bulb · bound · row · pound · track

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. band — a music group
  5. track — to keep track
  6. drill — army training
  7. pound — a weight
  8. track — a path
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. drill — the tool
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bound — certain
  15. bulb — for light
  16. row — a line
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bound — obliged
  21. band — a ring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — tied together
  24. track — a song

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