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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 116 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: kick · firm · leaves · stick · rest · bound · band · ruler

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — a break
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. band — a ring
  9. firm — a company
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. firm — steady
  13. bound — obliged
  14. kick — in football
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — certain
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — decided
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. band — a music group
  24. rest — what's left

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