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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 · game · bound · branch · key · firm · perch · ruler

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. branch — a division
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. game — a match
  9. bound — tied together
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — wild animals
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — the most important part
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — in music
  19. bound — certain
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — decided
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. branch — of a tree

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