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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: craft · bore · pop · bound · ruler · track · march · key

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pop — soda
  3. march — the month
  4. craft — a skill
  5. track — a song
  6. march — music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. track — to keep track
  9. key — in music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. key — for a lock
  12. march — the month
  13. pop — music
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. track — a path
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bound — obliged
  24. craft — a handicraft

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