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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: bass · press · ruler · ground · file · mark · bore · board

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bore — to drill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. press — a publisher
  7. board — a committee
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ground — a position
  14. file — a document
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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