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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: ruler · bore · pound · board · hide · suit

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — clothes
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. board — to get on
  15. bore — to tire
  16. board — a committee
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ruler — a monarch

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