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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: pop · kick · ruler · tear · pass · board

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. board — to get on
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tear — to rip
  9. kick — in football
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — from crying
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pop — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pop — soda
  17. tear — from crying
  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