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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: bank · bark · fine · board · ruler · last · bay · arm

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. last — final
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fine — all right
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fine — high quality
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. last — to go on
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. last — finally

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