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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · row · clip · suit · bound · drill · squash · key

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — the sport
  3. key — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. drill — the tool
  6. squash — to crush
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. clip — a video
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — for paper
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bound — certain
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bound — obliged
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — army training
  23. clip — to cut
  24. suit — clothes

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