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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bark · wave · rush · content · squash · board · ruler · calf

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — to get on
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bark — to shout
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. content — happy
  24. wave — of the sea

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