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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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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: file · board · deal · march · toast · ruler

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a tool
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. board — a committee
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. file — a document
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. toast — bread

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