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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 116 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: bay · ruler · board · capital · rush · bound · pound · wake

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. capital — money
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bound — obliged
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wake — a trail
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bound — certain
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rush — hurry

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