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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · bound · cap · row · mark · land · ruler · key

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. land — a country
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cap — a lid
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — of ice
  12. key — in music
  13. row — a line
  14. drill — the tool
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — army training
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cap — a hat
  23. key — for a lock
  24. row — to paddle

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