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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: bound · ruler · kick · bass · toast · file · spring · face

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. face — part of the head
  8. file — a document
  9. bound — obliged
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bound — certain
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bound — tied together
  14. face — to confront
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — to point toward
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — in football
  22. file — a tool
  23. toast — bread
  24. kick — a thrill

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