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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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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: ruler · race · date · jam · row · bound · rush · bark

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. race — a contest
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rush — hurry
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — certain
  13. row — a line
  14. race — humankind
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. date — the fruit
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bound — tied together
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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