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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 · root · last · board · stick

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — the cause
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — a law
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rule — government
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. board — to get on
  17. root — of a word
  18. board — a committee

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