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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: chest · branch · ruler · drill · track · lash · bound · mug

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mug — a face
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. chest — of your body
  9. branch — a division
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. track — a path
  15. mug — a cup
  16. drill — army training
  17. chest — a box
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bound — certain
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bound — tied together
  24. track — a song

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