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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: last · bound · staff · mug · rest · ruler · band · ground

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. staff — a stick
  3. last — final
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. staff — employees
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. band — a ring
  12. ground — the earth
  13. staff — employees
  14. mug — a cup
  15. last — finally
  16. ground — a position
  17. rest — a break
  18. bound — certain
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. mug — to rob
  22. band — a music group
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bound — obliged

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