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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: bound · rush · fork · ruler · board · squash · roll · mug

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bound — tied together
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fork — in a road
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — certain
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mug — a face
  12. roll — a list
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. roll — a cake
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — a committee
  21. mug — to rob
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ruler — a monarch

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