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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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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: board · snap · wound · track · cap · ruler · rock · kick

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rock — music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. track — a song
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kick — in football
  7. track — to keep track
  8. board — to get on
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. cap — a hat
  15. track — a path
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cap — a lid
  24. snap — to click

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