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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: mug · clip · band · bound · bass · calf · ruler · rush

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bound — certain
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bass — low music
  6. clip — a video
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. band — a ring
  13. mug — a face
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bound — obliged
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bound — tied together

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