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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 120 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 · bank · ruler · pitcher · fork · content · mine · object

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bound — tied together
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — a thing
  7. bank — for money
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — certain
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. object — an aim
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — to protest
  20. content — happy
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — obliged
  23. content — the amount
  24. mine — belonging to me

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