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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: rule · ruler · board · present · fall · root

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rule — a law
  4. root — of a word
  5. present — there
  6. fall — the season
  7. root — the cause
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — a gift
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — government
  13. board — to get on
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. root — of a plant
  18. present — the time now

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