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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: bound · key · roll · saw · mate · ruler · hand · craft

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. mate — a friend
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. key — in music
  10. roll — a list
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. hand — help
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. craft — a skill
  18. key — for a lock
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — to breed
  23. roll — a cake
  24. hand — in cards

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