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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: ruler · board · hand · rest · bore · bulb · toast · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bore — to drill
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. toast — bread
  10. rest — what's left
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rest — a break
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. board — to get on
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bulb — for light

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