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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: snap · lean · board · bore · ruler · root · chest · roll

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. board — to get on
  4. roll — a list
  5. snap — to click
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lean — thin
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — the cause
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chest — a box
  18. root — of a plant
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bore — to drill
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. root — of a word
  23. board — a committee
  24. lean — to bend

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