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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 · band · ruler · drill · cue · chip · bay · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bound — certain
  3. band — a ring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bound — obliged
  8. drill — army training
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mug — a cup
  17. band — a music group
  18. cue — a signal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. drill — the tool
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mug — a face
  24. chip — in a computer

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