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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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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: stick · branch · bank · firm · bound · wave · racket · ruler

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. branch — a division
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — a company

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