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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · row · nail · clip · bound · stick · leaves · craft

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. row — a line
  7. rule — government
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. clip — to cut
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bound — obliged
  17. craft — a skill
  18. clip — a video
  19. bound — tied together
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bound — certain
  23. clip — for paper
  24. craft — boats

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