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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: ruler · row · nail · jam · trunk · bound · drill · firm

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. bound — certain
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bound — obliged
  4. drill — army training
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bound — tied together
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. drill — a practice
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. firm — a company
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. row — a line
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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