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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: tube · fine · fall · pit · ruler · bound · march · last

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. fall — to drop
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. last — final
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bound — certain
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. tube — a container
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. last — finally
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. last — to go on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. march — music
  24. fine — all right

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