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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: ruler · mate · branch · jam · content · nail · craft · bound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. branch — a division
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — a friend
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. craft — boats
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a partner
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. content — the amount
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — tied together
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. craft — a skill

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