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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 · board · rest · cue · mine · ruler · temple · file

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — what's left
  7. file — a line of people
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rest — a break
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a committee
  12. file — a document
  13. bound — tied together
  14. file — a tool
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. cue — a hint
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. board — to get on
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. temple — a place of worship

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