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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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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: bound · fork · bay · club · bank · nail · ruler · pit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — certain
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. club — for golf
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. club — a group
  17. pit — in a race
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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