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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — to get on
  7. pop — soda
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rest — a break
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — a weight
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. drill — army training
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. drill — the tool

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